@article{WagnerOdedShenharetal.2017, author = {Wagner, Tom and Oded, Meirav and Shenhar, Roy and B{\"o}ker, Alexander}, title = {Two-dimensionally ordered AuNP array formation via microcontact printing on lamellar diblock copolymer films}, series = {Polymers for advanced technologies}, volume = {28}, journal = {Polymers for advanced technologies}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1042-7147}, doi = {10.1002/pat.3853}, pages = {623 -- 628}, year = {2017}, abstract = {The construction of nano-sized, two-dimensionally ordered nanoparticle (NP) superstructures is important for various advanced applications such as photonics, sensing, catalysis, or nano-circuitry. Currently, such structures are fabricated using the templated organization approach, in which the templates are mainly created by photo-lithography or laser-lithography and other invasive top-down etching procedures. In this work, we present an alternative bottom-up preparation method for the controlled deposition of NPs into hierarchical structures. Lamellar polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridinium) thin films featuring alternating stripes of neutral PS and positively charged P2VP domains serve as templates, allowing for the selective adsorption of negatively charged gold NPs. Dense NP assembly is achieved by a simple immersion process, whereas two-dimensionally ordered arrays of NPs are realized by microcontact printing (mu CP), utilizing periodic polydimethylsiloxane wrinkle grooves loaded with gold NPs. This approach enables the facile construction of hierarchical NP arrays with variable geometries. Copyright (C) 2016 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd.}, language = {en} } @article{AkarsuGrobeNowaczyketal.2021, author = {Akarsu, Pinar and Grobe, Richard and Nowaczyk, Julius and Hartlieb, Matthias and Reinicke, Stefan and B{\"o}ker, Alexander and Sperling, Marcel and Reifarth, Martin}, title = {Solid-phase microcontact printing for precise patterning of rough surfaces}, series = {ACS applied polymer materials}, volume = {3}, journal = {ACS applied polymer materials}, number = {5}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {2637-6105}, doi = {10.1021/acsapm.1c00024}, pages = {2420 -- 2431}, year = {2021}, abstract = {We present a microcontact printing (mu CP) routine suitable to introduce defined (sub-) microscale patterns on surface substrates exhibiting a high capillary activity and receptive to a silane-based chemistry. This is achieved by transferring functional trivalent alkoxysilanes, such as (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES) as a low-molecular weight ink via reversible covalent attachment to polymer brushes grafted from elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps. The brushes consist of poly{N-[tris(hydroxymethyl)-methyl]acrylamide} (PTrisAAm) synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT)-polymerization and used for immobilization of the alkoxysilane-based ink by substituting the alkoxy moieties with polymer-bound hydroxyl groups. Upon physical contact of the silane-carrying polymers with surfaces, the conjugated silane transfers to the substrate, thus completely suppressing ink-flow and, in turn, maximizing printing accuracy even for otherwise not addressable substrate topographies. We provide a concisely conducted investigation on polymer brush formation using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ellipsometry as well as ink immobilization utilizing two-dimensional proton nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (H-1-H-1-NOESY-NMR). We analyze the mu CP process by printing onto Si-wafers and show how even distinctively rough surfaces can be addressed, which otherwise represent particularly challenging substrates.}, language = {en} } @article{WangSperlingReifarthetal.2020, author = {Wang, Xuepu and Sperling, Marcel and Reifarth, Martin and B{\"o}ker, Alexander}, title = {Shaping metallic nanolattices}, series = {Small}, volume = {16}, journal = {Small}, number = {11}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1613-6810}, doi = {10.1002/smll.201906721}, pages = {1 -- 8}, year = {2020}, abstract = {A method for the fabrication of well-defined metallic nanostructures is presented here in a simple and straightforward fashion. As an alternative to lithographic techniques, this routine employs microcontact printing utilizing wrinkled stamps, which are prepared from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and includes the formation of hydrophobic stripe patterns on a substrate via the transfer of oligomeric PDMS. Subsequent backfilling of the interspaces between these stripes with a hydroxyl-functional poly(2-vinyl pyridine) then provides the basic pattern for the deposition of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles promoted by electrostatic interaction. The resulting metallic nanostripes can be further customized by peeling off particles in a second microcontact printing step, which employs poly(ethylene imine) surface-decorated wrinkled stamps, to form nanolattices. Due to the independent adjustability of the period dimensions of the wrinkled stamps and stamp orientation with respect to the substrate, particle arrays on the (sub)micro-scale with various kinds of geometries are accessible in a straightforward fashion. This work provides an alternative, cost-effective, and scalable surface-patterning technique to fabricate nanolattice structures applicable to multiple types of functional nanoparticles. Being a top-down method, this process could be readily implemented into, e.g., the fabrication of optical and sensing devices on a large scale.}, language = {en} }