Ink Dependence of Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Contamination in Microcontact Printing

R.B.A. Sharpe, Dirk Burdinski, Cees van der Marel, Jan A.J. Jansen, Jurriaan Huskens, Henricus J.W. Zandvliet, David Reinhoudt, Bene Poelsema

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Abstract

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is the most widely used stamp material in microcontact printing. It has excellent properties with respect to versatility, chemical inertness, and mechanical stability. However, it has an inclination to contaminate printed substrates with low molecular weight siloxane fragments. In this study, it is shown, by a combination of lateral force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, that the extent of the PDMS-induced contamination is dependent on the nature of the ink used. The highest degree of contamination was found for relatively polar inks, whereas apolar alkanethiol inks were found to shield the substrate from contamination. This is interpreted in terms of the contaminating species being polar in nature.
Original languageUndefined
Pages (from-to)5945-5951
Number of pages7
JournalLangmuir
Volume22
Issue number13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2006

Keywords

  • IR-59313
  • METIS-232783

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