Smart surfaces: reversible switching of a polymeric hydrogel topography

Patterns imprinted on smart surfaces are fabricated by direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) of thick films based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) doped with suitable dyes. Optical and atomic force (AFM) microscopy images reveal that the pattern imprinted on the dry hydrogel film (line-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSoft matter Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 307 - 310
Main Authors Molina, María A., Rivarola, Claudia R., Broglia, Martin F., Acevedo, Diego F., Barbero, Cesar A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.01.2012
Subjects
Atomic force microscopy
Drying
Hydrogels
Microscopy
Patterning
Swelling
Topography
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Summary:Patterns imprinted on smart surfaces are fabricated by direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) of thick films based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) doped with suitable dyes. Optical and atomic force (AFM) microscopy images reveal that the pattern imprinted on the dry hydrogel film (line-arrays) becomes flat due to swelling of the hydrogel upon immersion in water. The pattern re-emerges after drying the hydrogel. Heating the hydrogel above the phase transition temperature of PNIPAM (ca. 32 [degree]C) also restores the pattern by hydrogel volume collapse. This behaviour suggests that this patterning technique would allow us to produce surfaces useful for technological application.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
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ISSN:1744-683X
1744-6848
DOI:10.1039/C1SM06191G