Micro- and nanopatterning of functional materials on flexible plastic substrates via site-selective surface modification using oxygen plasma

A simple and cost effective methodology for large area micro and nanopatterning of a wide range of functional materials on flexible substrates is presented. A hydrophobic-hydrophilic chemical contrast was patterned on surfaces of various flexible plastic substrates using molds and shadow masks with which selected areas of the substrate surface were shielded from exposure to oxygen plasma. The exposed areas became hydrophilic and were used as templates for site-selective adsorption, electroless deposition and solution phase deposition of functional materials like ZnO, Ag thin films, Au nanoparticles, conducting polymers, titania and ZnO nanowires. The patterned surfaces and functional materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy.