Platform V

Leader: Rigoberto Advincula

Activities in Platform V are directed towards templated and interfacial reactions – chemistry using templates, interfaces, and patterning to discover new phenomena and introduce new or responsive properties in multilayer films.

Additional activities aim to introduce new materials within microlayers, nanolayers and nanofibers, their conversion or
patternability.

Platform V

Some of the projects in Platform V include:

Two Directions

The projects can be categorized into two directions: 1) incorporation and reactions of molecules and nanoparticles within microlayers, nanolayers and nanofibers and ) conversion and patterning of existing or modified multilayer films.

Surfaced Patterning of Multilayered Films

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1) Study the smallest feature size of the pattern that can be transferred onto the multilayered films. 2) Explore the possibility of transferring pattern onto curved surfaces for conversion of regular lens into a fresnel lens. 3) Pattern onto multilayered membrane to impart superhydrophobicity that will significantly improve the membranes resistance to water diffusion.  Shown above: SEM images of surface patterns transferred onto PS/PMMA film (a) 5 µm wide and 5 µm line pitch, (b)  10 µm wide and 100 µm line pitch, (c) 500 nm microwells and 500 nm dot pitch, and (d)  20 µm wide and 5 µm line pitch . Insets are lower magnification images.


Grafting of Polymers on Multilayer Films

Stimuli-responsive polymer on the membrane film is grown by surface initiated polymerization (SIP) technique. This technique can be expanded to photopatterning with applications in different areas such as biomaterials, and microelectromechanical devices. A PS/PMMA multilayer film with patterned initiators is shown below (optical microscopy).

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Extrusion and Improving Pharmacological Properties of Proteins in Multilayers

Optimize radical polymerization chemistry from the surface of protein nanoparticles to ensure dense surface coverage. Fully characterize particles for their surface properties, chemical reactivity patterns, and stability to denaturation. Incorporate useful chemical moieties for therapeutic or diagnostic applications in medicine. Evaluate stability of polymer-protein biohybrid materials for CLiPS extrusion-based layering processes.

 


Modification of Co-extruded Nanofibers for Biomedical Applications

Investigate effective surface modification chemistries to introduce reactive functional groups onto the surface of PCL fibers for further modification. Introduce biologically active molecules, such as RGD peptides, to promote cell adhesion and/or proliferation.

nanofiber modification1
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