Micropatterned self-assembled film based on temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid)

Micropatterned cross-linked film making up a temperature-responsive component has been fabricated through the following two steps: layer-by-layer electrostatic assembly of photosensitive nitrodiazoresin (NDR) and a thermosensitive copolymer of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (P(NIPA-AA)), and subsequent selective exposure to UV light through a photomask followed with development in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) aqueous solution. The irradiated regions of the film are retained due to the formed covalently linked structure, whereas the unirradiated parts of the film are removed fully from the substrate in SDS solution. The well-defined micropatterns were characterized with field-emission scanning electron spectroscopy (FE-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).