Microfabrication using elastomeric stamp deformation

Elastomeric stamp deformation has been utilized for the contact printing (CP) of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and, more recently, polymers and proteins. Here, we take advantage of this well-studied phenomenon to fabricate a series of new metal thin-film patterns not present on the original stamp. The rounded patterns are of nanoscale thickness, long-range order, and are created from elastomeric stamps with only straight-edged features. The metal was printed onto the surface of an alpha,omega-alkanedithiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM). The new shapes are controlled by a combination of stamp geometry design and the application of external pressure. Previously published rules on stamp deformation for contact printing of SAMs are invalid because the coating is instead a thin-metal film. This method represents a new pathway to micropatterning metal thin films, leading to shapes with higher complexity than the original lithographic masters.     

Combining microfluidic networks and peptide arrays for multi-enzyme assays

This paper reports the use of microfluidic networks (muFNs) to both prepare peptide microarrays and carry out label-free enzyme assays on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiolates on gold. A poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) stamp fabricated with microchannels is used to immobilize a linear array of cysteine-terminated peptides onto SAMs presenting maleimide groups. The stamp is then reapplied to the SAM in a perpendicular direction to introduce enzyme solutions so that each solution can interact with an identical linear array of immobilized peptides. The muFNs enable multiple enzyme-substrate interactions to be simultaneously evaluated at a submicroliter scale, while the use of SAMs enables the use of MALDI mass spectrometry (MS) to analyze the enzyme activities. This paper demonstrates applications of this system for assaying multiple kinases and for profiling the activities of kinases and phosphatases in human K562 cell extracts. The combination of muFN, SAMs, and MS detection provides a flexible platform for assaying enzyme activities in biological samples.     

Edge spreading lithography and its application to the fabrication of mesoscopic gold and silver rings

A new form of edge lithography, edge spreading lithography (ESL), has been demonstrated and applied to the formation of coinage metal rings. In this process, alkanethiols are delivered from a flat PDMS stamp to the surface of a metal film through a two-dimensional array of spherical silica colloids. The thiols further spread on the metal surface, forming highly ordered SAMs in the form of a ring pattern. Following lift-off of beads, the pattern in the SAMs can be transferred into the metal film through wet chemical etching, with SAMs serving as the resist. The dimensions of the rings can be readily controlled by several parameters such as the beads diameter, the concentration of the thiol solution, and the contact time between the stamp and the silica beads.     

Three-dimensional metallized features on polymeric substrates by microcontact printing

We demonstrate the formation of 3-D metallized features on a polymeric substrate by microcontact printing. A patterned silicon stamp was "inked" with catalytic particles. Thereafter, particles were selectively removed from the raised regions of the stamp. A molten polymer was embossed against the stamp. Upon cooling and separation, the catalytic particles that were within the recessed areas of the stamp were transferred to the polymer. The polymer was then immersed in an electroless plating bath, and metallization occurred selectively on the areas where the catalytic particles were present. We have achieved 3-D metallized columns as small as 500 nm in diameter and about 1 mum tall.     

Carbohydrate microarrays by microcontact "click" chemistry

Carbohydrate microarrays can be prepared by microcontact printing of carbohydrate alkyne conjugates on azide self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). The carbohydrates are immobilized by a "click" reaction in the contact area between the stamp and the substrate. The immobilized carbohydrates retain their characteristic selectivity toward lectins.     

Patterning functional materials using channel diffused plasma-etched self-assembled monolayer templates

A simple and cost-effective methodology for large-area micrometer-scale patterning of a wide range of metallic and oxidic functional materials is presented. Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) of alkyl thiols on Au were micropatterned by channel-diffused oxygen plasma etching, a method in which selected areas of SAM were protected from plasma oxidation via a soft lithographic stamp. The patterned SAMs were used as templates for site-selective electrodeposition, electroless deposition and solution-phase deposition of functional materials such as ZnO, Ni, Ag thin films, and ZnO nanowires. The patterned SAMs and functional materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and tunneling AFM (TUNA).     

用简便方法组装二维模板银纳米阵列

通过制备甲基和羧基混合自组装单层膜, 然后在羧基基团上选择性地生长银制备二维模板银纳米阵列. 利用微接触印刷在金膜上制备模板自组装单层膜, 也就是利用具有二维微米图案的弹力印模把有机巯基化合物转移到金膜上. 改善的银镜反应被用来制备银纳米结构, 银纳米粒子选择性地生长在二维模板有机单分子层的羧基位置. 甲醇作为还原剂具有高的选择性和原子经济性, 一分子甲醇可以还原六个银离子. 利用原子力显微镜和扫描电子显微镜确定了银纳米结构的形貌, 用拉曼光谱研究银纳米结构的光学性质.     

Click chemistry by microcontact printing on self-assembled monolayers: a structure-reactivity study by fluorescence microscopy

Microcontact printing (μCP) has developed into a powerful tool to functionalize surfaces with patterned molecular monolayers. μCP can also be used to induce a chemical reaction between a molecular ink and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) in the nanoscale confinement between stamp and substrate. In this paper, we investigate the Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, the Diels-Alder cycloaddition and the thiol-ene/yne reaction induced by μCP. A range of fluorescent alkyne inks were printed on azide SAMs and fluorescence microscopy was used to monitor the extent of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition on a glass substrate. The rate of cycloaddition depends on the reactivity of the alkyne and on the presence of Cu(I). The cycloaddition is accelerated by Cu(I) but it also proceeds readily in the absence of Cu(I). In addition, a range of fluorescent diene inks were printed on alkene SAMs on glass. In this case, fluorescence microscopy was used to monitor the rate of the Diels-Alder cycloaddition as well as its retro-reaction. Finally, fluorescent thiol inks were printed on alkene SAMs on glass, and fluorescent alkenes and alkynes were printed on thiol SAMs. It is shown that reactions by μCP follow structure-reactivity relationships similar to solution reactions. Under optimized conditions all reactions lead to dense microarrays of addition products within minutes of printing time.     

One-dimensional SAMs of (12-pyrrol-1-yl-dodecyl)-phosphonic acid templated by polyelectrolyte molecules

We present a novel method for the fabrication of one-dimensional (1-D) self-assembled monolayers and multilayers (SAMs) of (12-pyrrol-1-yl-dodecyl)-phosphonic acid (Py-DPA) on various polar surfaces using polyelectrolyte nanostructures as positive templates. Particularly, we demonstrate that (i) patterns of aligned 1-D polycation structures on a poly(dimethylsiloxane) stamp can be prepared by moving a droplet of polycation solution along the surface; (ii) these patterns can be used as templates for the ordered assembly of Py-DPA in water where Py-DPA carries a charge opposite to the charge of the template; and (iii) Py-DPA SAMs can then be transferred onto mica or silicon wafers by a printing process. These nanostructures with a polymerizable pyrrole headgroup might be useful for the creation of electrically conductive patterns of conjugated polymers.     

Development of Sulfonic-Acid-Functionalized Mesoporous Materials: Synthesis and Catalytic Applications

Sulfonic acid based mesostructures (SAMs) have been developed in recent years and have important catalytic applications. The primary applications of these materials are in various organic synthesis reactions, such as multicomponent reactions, carbon–carbon bond couplings, protection reactions, and Fries and Beckman rearrangements. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent developments in the field of SAMs with a particular emphasis on the reaction scope and advantages of heterogeneous solid acid catalysts.     

Direct determination of brucine by square wave voltammetry on 4-amino-2-mercaptopyrimidine self-assembled monolayer gold electrode

4-Amino-2-mercaptopyrimidine self-assembled monolayer (AMP SAMs/Au) was prepared on a gold electrode. The AMP SAMs/Au was characterized by using attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and A.C. Impedance. The electrochemical behavior of brucine on AMP SAMs/Au was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWASV). The modified electrode showed an excellent electrocatalytic activity for the redox of brucine. The catalytic current increased linearly with the concentration of brucine in the range of 4.0 x 10(-7) to 2.0 x 10(-4) mol l(-1) by square wave voltammetry response. The detection limit was 6.0 x 10(-8) mol l(-1).     

Catalytic Oxidation of Ascorbic Acid on 2D and 3D Monolayers of 4‐Hydroxythiophenol

Monolayers of 4‐hydroxythiophenol (4‐HTP) immobilized on gold electrode (2D SAMs) or gold nanoclusters (3D SAMs) lead to catalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA). The catalytic role of the modified clusters was revealed by comparing the electrodes covered by 1,9‐nonanedithiol and the same nonanedithiol monolayer decorated by 4‐HTP protected clusters. The 4‐HTP protected gold nanoclusters supported on a metal surface using a monolayer of 1,9‐nonanedithiol as the bridge, transferred charge to ascorbic acid (AA) molecule in the solution more efficiently than when the same 4‐HTP monolayer was formed directly on the gold electrode.     

Copolymerization of vinyl acetate and unsaturated acids in the presence of germanium tetrachloride in methanol

The influence of catalytic amounts of germanium tetrachloride on the copolymerization of vinyl acetate with acrylic acid and methacrylic acid in methanol is examined. It is shown that germanium tetrachloride exerts different effects on the formation rate, molecular-mass characteristics, and composition of copolymers formed in these systems. For example, at a germanium tetrachloride-to-acrylic acid ratio of 0.02 (mol/mol), an alternating copolymer is formed, whereas in the case of methacrylic acid, a copolymer considerably enriched with methacrylic acid units is produced at the same ratio. The results are explained by different copolymerization mechanisms for both systems.     

Synthesis of catalyst based on sol microspheres coated with pyrolytic tungsten and study of its influence on production of metallic germanium

Pyrolytic tungsten coatings were deposited onto the surface of sol microspheres with tungsten hexacarbonyl used as precursor. A method was developed for reduction of germanium tetrachloride in the presence of a catalyst based on sol microspheres coated with pyrolytic tungsten. The method makes it possible to reduce the process temperature and diminish the number of stages in production of germanium. The kinetic characteristics of the catalytic reduction of germanium tetrachloride with hydrogen were determined.     

Metallization of a thiol-terminated organic surface using chemical vapor deposition

The deposition and the subsequent decomposition of an organometallic precursor, (eta (3)-allyl)(eta (5)-cyclopentadienyl)palladium [Cp(allyl)Pd], on an organic surface exposed by self-assembled monolayers (SAM) was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). The interfacial chemical reactions of the vapor-deposited metal precursor with the pendant thiol group of the SAMs made from oligophenyldithiols, which are either prepared directly (terphenyldimethyldithiol, TPDMT) or by a deprotection route from SAMs formed by a monoacylated derivative of biphenyldimethyldithiol (dep. BPDMAc-1) have been studied in detail. When the TPDMT-SAMs were exposed to Cp(allyl)Pd vapor, a Pd (2+)/allyl-terminated SAM surface was obtained (to a lower extent this was also the case for dep. BPDMAc-1 SAMs), which was stable against exposure to H 2 gas. Reduction to Pd (0) by H 2 was only observed when small amounts of Pd (0) were already present, for example, after prolonged exposure to the precursor. The catalytic activity of the small Pd (0) particles also caused a decomposition of the SAMs upon exposure to air.     

Growth kinetics and morphology of self-assembled monolayers formed by contact printing 7-octenyltrichlorosilane and octadecyltrichlorosilane on Si(100) wafers

The growth kinetics and morphologies of self-assembled monolayers deposited by contact printing 7-octenyltrichlorosilane (OCT) and octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) on Si(100) were studied by ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy. We found that, for both OCT and OTS, full monolayers could be obtained at room temperature after printing times of 120-180 s; the printing-based monolayer assembly processes follow apparent Langmuir adsorption kinetics, with the measured film growth rates increasing both with the ambient humidity and with concentration of the ink used to load the stamp. At a dew point of 10 degrees C and an ink concentration (in toluene) of 50 mM, the observed film growth rate constant is 0.05 s(-)(1). When the printing was carried out at a lower ambient humidity (dew points of 1-3 degrees C), the measured rates of assembly were approximately a factor of 2 slower. Increasing the deposition temperature from 25 to 45 degrees C under these conditions increased the film growth rate only slightly. The morphology of the films depends on the identity of the ink. Uniform, high-coverage films could be obtained readily from the eight-carbon chain length adsorbate OCT, provided that the stamp was not overloaded with the ink; for high concentrations outside of the optimal range, the surface presented significant numbers of adsorbed particles ascribed, in part, to siloxane polymers formed by hydrolysis of the ink on the stamp before printing. In marked contrast, for the 18-carbon adsorbate OTS, the printed films always consisted of a mixture of a uniform monolayer plus adsorbed polysiloxane particles. The different film morphologies seen for OCT and OTS are proposed to result from the different transfer efficiencies of the organotrichlorosilane relative to polysiloxane hydrolysis products formed during the printing process. These transfer efficiencies exhibit sensitivities related to the permeation of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) stamp by the silane reagents. Short-chain inks such as OCT evidently permeate the PDMS stamp more deeply than longer-chain inks such as OTS. This difference, and the different diffusion rates of ink vs oligomeric silane hydrolysis products, determines the film morphology obtained by contact printing. The mass transfer dynamics of the process thus yield surface layers derived from varying quantities of siloxane oligomers, which subsequently transfer to the substrate along with unhydrolyzed silane adsorbate during the printing step. The structural evolution of the contact-printed films so obtained is strikingly different from that of SAMs prepared by immersion.     

Catalytic probe lithography: catalyst-functionalized scanning probes as nanopens for nanofabrication on self-assembled monolayers

This article describes the use of scanning catalytic probe lithography for nanofabrication of patterns on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of reactive adsorbates. Catalytic writing was carried out by scanning over bis(omega-tert-butyldimethyl-siloxyundecyl)disulfide SAMs using 2-mercapto-5-benzimidazole sulfonic acid-functionalized gold-coated AFM tips. The acidic tips induced local hydrolysis of the silyl ether moieties in the contacted areas, and thus patterned surfaces were created. Diffusion effects arising from the use of an ink were excluded in these type of experiments, and therefore structures with well-defined shapes and sizes were produced. The smallest lines drawn by this technique were about 25 nm wide, corresponding to the actual contact area of the tip. Lateral force microscopy studies performed on different SAMs helped to clarify the nature and cause of the friction contrasts observed by AFM. Dendritic wedges with thiol functions inserted into the catalytically written areas, thus enhancing the height contrast. The created patterns open possibilities to build 3D nanostructures.     

自组装单分子膜及其表征方法

自组装单分子膜的研究是近年来十分活跃的研究领域. 随着膜的应用领域的拓展 ,对膜的表征方法不断提出新的要求.本文综述了自组装单分子膜体系的类型和基底表面的 处理方法,着重从电化学、谱学、显微学以及表面润湿性等方面综述了近几年来自组装单分子膜的表征方法研究进展, 并对其发展前景作了展望.     

Electrocatalytic reduction of nitrite ions by a copper complex attached as SAMs on gold by “self-induced electroclick”: Enhancement of the catalytic rate by surface coverage decrease

A biomimetic copper complex has been attached as SAMs onto an azidoundecanethiol-modified gold electrode by the “self-induced electroclick” procedure. The immobilized complex electrocatalyzes efficiently the reduction of nitrite ions in an acidic medium. The in-situ control of the surface coverage during the grafting process by the electroclick approach has been exploited to rationalize the influence of surface concentration on the electrocatalytic properties of the immobilized Cu complex. The voltammetric analysis shows an enhancement of the catalytic rate when the surface coverage is decreased, as a consequence of steric and electronic effects.     

A note to the article “polarographic reduction of germanium” by A.K. Dasgupta and C.K.N. Nair

The nature of the two reduction waves of tetravalent germanium in ammonia-ammonium chloride buffer is described. Contrary to the statement of dasgup'ta and NAIR1 only the height of the first diffusion current should be used for analytical purposes. The second wave corresponds to a catalytic hydrogen evolution. The use of cthylenediaminetetra-acetic acid of pH 6–8 for the analysis of germanium is preferable².