Polymeric structures, particularly microstructures, and methods for making same

A method for adhering polymeric material to a functionalized substrate, comprising:

• exposing at least a portion of a functionalized substrate to a first reaction energy source such that some or all of the functional groups on the portion of the functionalized substrate are deactivated;
• applying a polymeric material to the functionalized substrate;
• and
• exposing the polymeric material to a second reaction energy source.

A method for making a polymeric structure on a substrate, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• performing a one-step functionalization process consisting essentially of functionalizing at least a portion of the substrate with a silane perfluorophenylazide or a disulfide perfluorophenylazide to provide a silane-perfluorophenylazide or disulfide-perfluorophenylazide functionalized surface;
• applying a first polymeric material to the silane-perfluorophenylazide or disulfide-perfluorophenylazide functionalized surface of the substrate;
• exposing the first polymeric material to a reaction energy source in a pre-determined pattern to covalently bond a layer of the first polymeric material to the substrate in the pre-determined pattern;
• removing unbound first polymeric material from unexposed areas of the substrate surface;
• applying a second polymeric material to the surface of the substrate so the second polymeric material occupies at least a portion of the surface of the substrate not occupied by the first polymeric material, wherein the second polymeric material is not formed by a reaction of the first polymeric material;
• and
• exposing the second polymeric material to a reaction energy source to covalently bond a layer of the second polymeric material to the substrate, the first and second polymeric materials forming a microstructure defined by the first and second polymeric materials.

A method for making a polymeric structure on a substrate, comprising:

• providing a silicon wafer;
• functionalizing the silicon wafer by applying a solution of silane perfluorophenylazide or disulfide perfluorophenylazide to the silicon wafer for a time period effective to provide a silane-perfluorophenylazide or disulfide-perfluorophenylazide functionalized surface, wherein the functionalized surface has unreacted azido groups;
• rinsing the functionalized silicon wafer with a solvent to remove unbound silane perfluorophenylazide or disulfide perfluorophenylazide;
• drying the functionalized silicon wafer;
• applying a first polymeric material to the silane-perfluorophenylazide or disulfide-perfluorophenylazide functionalized surface of the silicon wafer;
• exposing the first polymeric material to a reaction energy source in a pre-determined pattern through a photomask to covalently bond a layer of the first polymeric material to the unreacted azido groups on the substrate in the pre-determined pattern, where the reaction energy source comprises ultraviolet light, an electron beam, or heat;
• removing unbound first polymeric material from unexposed areas of the substrate surface using a solvent, wherein the unbound first polymeric material is soluble in the solvent;
• applying a second polymeric material to the surface of the substrate so the second polymeric material occupies at least a portion of the surface of the substrate not occupied by the first polymeric material;
• and
• exposing the second polymeric material to a reaction energy source to covalently bond a layer of the second polymeric material to the unreacted azido groups on the portion of the surface of the substrate not occupied by the first polymeric material, where the reaction energy source comprises ultraviolet light, an electron beam, or heat, the first and second polymeric materials forming a microstructure defined by the first and second polymeric materials.

A method for making a polymeric structure on a substrate, comprising:

• providing a silicon wafer;
• functionalizing the silicon wafer by applying a solution of silane perfluorophenylazide or disulfide perfluorophenylazide to the silicon wafer for a time period effective to provide a silane-perfluorophenylazide or disulfide-perfluorophenylazide functionalized surface, wherein the functionalized surface has unreacted azido groups and wherein the functionalized surface is substantially devoid of unreacted amino groups;
• rinsing the functionalized silicon wafer with a solvent to remove unbound silane perfluorophenylazide or disulfide perfluorophenylazide;
• drying the functionalized silicon wafer;
• applying a first polymeric material to the silane-perfluorophenylazide or disulfide-perfluorophenylazide functionalized surface of the silicon wafer, where the first polymeric material is selected from saturated polyolefins, unsaturated polyolefins, polystyrene and its analogues, polymers of nucleic acids, polysilanes, and polycarbosilanes;
• exposing the first polymeric material to a reaction energy source in a pre-determined pattern through a photomask to covalently bond a layer of the first polymeric material to the unreacted azido groups on the substrate in the pre-determined pattern, where the reaction energy source comprises ultraviolet light, an electron beam, or heat;
• removing unbound first polymeric material from unexposed areas of the substrate surface using a solvent, wherein the unbound first polymeric material is soluble in the solvent;
• applying a second polymeric material to the surface of the substrate so the second polymeric material occupies at least a portion of the surface of the substrate not occupied by the first polymeric material, where the second polymeric material is selected from saturated polyolefins, unsaturated polyolefins, polystyrene and its analogues, polymers of nucleic acids, polysilanes, and polycarbosilanes;
• and
• exposing the second polymeric material to a reaction energy source to covalently bond a layer of the second polymeric material to the unreacted azido groups on the portion of the surface of the substrate not occupied by the first polymeric material, where the reaction energy source comprises ultraviolet light, an electron beam, or heat, the first and second polymeric materials forming a microstructure defined by the first and second polymeric materials.

A method for making a polymeric structure on a substrate, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• functionalizing at least a portion of the substrate in a one-step process with a silane perfluorophenylazide or a disulfide perfluorophenylazide to provide a silane-perfluorophenylazide or disulfide-perfluorophenylazide functionalized surface substantially devoid of unreacted amino groups;
• applying a first polymeric material to the silane-perfluorophenylazide or disulfide-perfluorophenylazide functionalized surface of the substrate;
• exposing the first polymeric material to a reaction energy source in a pre-determined pattern to covalently bond a layer of the first polymeric material to the substrate in the pre-determined pattern;
• removing unbound first polymeric material from unexposed areas of the substrate surface;
• applying a second polymeric material to the surface of the substrate so the second polymeric material occupies at least a portion of the surface of the substrate not occupied by the first polymeric material, wherein the second polymeric material is not formed by a reaction of the first polymeric material;
• and
• exposing the second polymeric material to a reaction energy source to covalently bond a layer of the second polymeric material to the substrate, the first and second polymeric materials forming a microstructure defined by the first and second polymeric materials, wherein the first and/or the second polymeric material is a carbohydrate.