Micro- and nanostructuring of freestanding, biodegradable, thin sheets of chitosan via soft lithography.
A technique for imparting micro- and nanostructured topography into the surface of freestanding thin sheets of chitosan is described. Both micro- and nanometric surface structures have been produced using soft lithography. The soft lithography method, based on solvent evaporation, has allowed structures approximately 60 nm tall and approximately 500 x 500 nm(2) to be produced on freestanding approximately 0.5 mm thick sheets of the polymer when cured at 293 K, and structures approximately 400 nm tall and 5 x 5 microm(2) to be produced when cured at 283 K. Nonstructured chitosan thin sheets (approximately 200 microm thick) show excellent optical transmission properties in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The structured sheets can be used for applications where optical microscopic analysis is required, such as cell interaction experiments and tissue engineering.
Fernandez
Javier G
JG
Laboratory of Nanobioengineering (IBEC), Barcelona Science Park, c/Josep Samitier 1-5, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Mills
Christopher A
CA
Martinez
Elena
E
Lopez-Bosque
Maria J
MJ
Sisquella
Xavier
X
Errachid
Abdelhamid
A
Samitier
Josep
J
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D023822:Tissue Engineering
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D048271:Chitosan