SELECTIVE PATTERNING OF GOLD ON PMMA USING CHCL3 AS AN ADHESION PROMOTER

The ability to create gold patterns on polymer surfaces is useful in many fields including optics, chemical depositions, and microfluidic devices. However, due to its inertness, adhering thin films of gold onto polymer surfaces is difficult. In previous studies, JMU researchers have discovered that when poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is treated with chloroform, gold that is deposited to the surface is more adhesive than to untreated PMMA. In the past different selective patterning techniques have been tested including spincasting chloroform and selective exposure to vapor chloroform. Now we report the use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps soaked in chloroform as a means of selective exposure. The purpose for this project was to determine the size of the features that could be made using this method. At first large features (1-3 mm) were made by curing PDMS stamps in large molds made by a VLS 3.50 laser cutter. Later smaller features (3-14 µm) were made using a mold made from photolithography. After being deposited with gold, features less than 8 micrometers across could be observed.

Co-collaborators: Graham Rich, Sarah Colbert, Brian Augustine (Dept. of Chemistry, High Point University)

Additional Abstract Information

Student(s): Samuel "Watson" Stahl

Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry, Materials Science

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Chris Hughes, Dr. Harry Hu, Dr. Brian Augustine (Chemistry, High Point University)

Type: Poster

Year: 2016