Spatial control over the chemical modification of surfaces is crucial for varied applications such as cell growth assays, multiplexed interactions assays, responsive materials, and nano/bio-electronics. Current approaches mostly rely on photolithography or micro-contact printing, which require the fabrication of custom masks and stamps, and do not allow for density gradients. Other methods are limited to proteins, as they rely on non-specific adsorption to deprotected areas. I will present our recent work patterning monolayers of various molecules with controllable densities on surfaces, without using masks or stamps. The method utilizes microscope-based maskless photoprojection to trigger the photocatalyzed thiol-yne reaction, allowing for fast prototyping with arbitrary patterns. Gradients are created by controlling the duration of exposure at each pixel individually. Molecules equipped with an alkyne terminal group are patterned onto a thiolated surface; the ease of alkynating molecules means the approach is highly generalizable. To reduce the high defect density seen in standard mercaptosilane monolayers, we utilize a recently-reported mercaptosilatrane, and demonstrate high-quality patterns. Multiple molecules can be combined in the same pattern, via subsequent patterning steps. The flexible and widely-applicable nature of this method, and its ability to generate high quality monolayer patterns, make it well-suited for creation of accurate and complex designs. This advance will support the study of responsive surfaces and surface-based chemical reactions.

Photopatterning functional monolayers with controlled densities

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.