Synergism of Dewetting and Self-Wrinkling To Create Two-Dimensional Ordered Arrays of Functional Microspheres.
Here we report a simple, novel, yet robust nonlithographic method for the controlled fabrication of two-dimensional (2-D) ordered arrays of polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres. It is based on the synergistic combination of two bottom-up processes enabling periodic structure formation for the first time: dewetting and the mechanical wrinkle formation. The deterministic dewetting results from the hydrophilic polymer PEG on an incompatible polystyrene (PS) film bound to a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate, which is directed both by a wrinkled template and by the template-directed in-situ self-wrinkling PS/PDMS substrate. Two strategies have been introduced to achieve synergism to enhance the 2-D ordering, i.e., employing 2-D in-situ self-wrinkling substrates and boundary conditions. As a result, we achieve highly ordered 2-D arrays of PEG microspheres with desired self-organized microstructures, such as the array location (e.g., selectively on the crest/in the valley of the wrinkles), diameter, spacing of the microspheres, and array direction. Additionally, the coordination of PEG with HAuCl4 is utilized to fabricate 2-D ordered arrays of functional PEG-HAuCl4 composite microspheres, which are further converted into different Au nanoparticle arrays. This simple versatile combined strategy could be extended to fabricate highly ordered 2-D arrays of other functional materials and achieve desirable properties and functionalities.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
Xue
X
Han
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
Jing
J
Hou
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
Jixun
J
Xie
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
Jian
J
Yin
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
Yi
Y
Tong
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University , Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China.
Conghua
C
Lu
Department of Interfaces, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces , Potsdam 14424, Germany.
Helmuth
H
Möhwald
dewetting; functionalization; ordered arrays; polymer thin films; surface wrinkling