Nano-patterning with polymer brushes via solvent-assisted polymer grafting

We report surface patterning on the nanolevel with the "grafting to" approach carried out at relatively low temperatures (40 degrees C). Low grafting temperatures were achieved via solvent-assisted grafting and allowed the use of the developed approach for surface templating in a variety of ways. Specifically, two examples of the patterning are discussed. A poly-2-vinylpyridine, P2VP surface pattern was created by a combination of capillary force lithography and the solvent-assisted grafting. Silver nanoparticle arrays were created and transferred into a silicon matrix employing the P2VP pattern. Solvent-assisted grafting was also a suitable technique for manipulating thermolabile objects, e. g. proteins. Protein molecules were imprinted via the grafting. Rebinding experiments showed preferential protein adsorption onto the imprinted surface relative to a non-imprinted control sample.