Method for producing a structure with spatial encoded functionality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084718-B2
Application number	US-201715725945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2017
Priority date	Oct 7, 2016
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a structure with spatial encoded functionality, the method comprising:providing in a volume (114) a first photosensitive material (116) that is two-photon crosslinking compatible,generating in the volume (114) a framework of crosslinked first photo-sensitive material (116), the generating of the framework comprising exposing the first photosensitive material (116) with a first focused laser beam (118) according to a first pattern for specifically initiating a two-photon crosslinking of the first photosensitive material (116) in accordance with the first pattern,removing from the volume (114) any remaining non-crosslinked portions of the first photosensitive material (116),providing to the volume (114) a second photosensitive material (116) that is two-photon crosslinking compatible,generating in the volume (114) the structure, the generating of the structure comprising exposing the second photosensitive material (116) with a second focused laser beam (118) according to a second pattern for specifically initiating a two-photon crosslinking of predefined surface portions of the framework and the second photosensitive material (116) in accordance with the second pattern,removing from the volume (114) any remaining non-crosslinked portions of the second photosensitive material (116).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for producing a structure with spatial encoded functionality, the method comprising:
providing, in a volume formed on a glass substrate, a first photosensitive material that is two-photon crosslinking compatible, wherein the first photosensitive material is a hydrogel,
generating in the volume a framework of crosslinked first photosensitive material, the generating of the framework comprising exposing the first photosensitive material with a first focused laser beam according to a first pattern for specifically initiating a two-photon crosslinking of the first photosensitive material in accordance with the first pattern,
removing from the volume any remaining non-crosslinked portions of the first photosensitive material, wherein the framework comprises an array of first structures,
providing to the volume a second photosensitive material that is two-photon crosslinking compatible,
generating in the volume the structure, the generating of the structure comprising exposing the second photosensitive material with a second focused laser beam according to a second pattern for specifically initiating a two-photon crosslinking of predefined surface portions of each first structure of the array of first structures and the second photosensitive material in accordance with the second pattern,
removing from the volume any remaining non-crosslinked portions of the second photosensitive material, the remaining crosslinked portions of the second photosensitive material having reactive sites, wherein the structure comprises the array of first structures having respective reactive sites, wherein each first structure of the array of first structures is separated from remaining first structures of the array of first structures, wherein each first structure of the array of first structures is a microswimmer, and wherein each microswimmer has a pointy head chemically bonded to the glass substrate, and
chemically modifying at least part of reactive sites with one or more chemicals until the reactive sites possess a desired encoded functionality, wherein the chemicals are chemically inert to the first photosensitive material.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising after the removal of the remaining non-crosslinked portions of the second photosensitive material and before performing the chemical modification: defunctionalizing any reactive sites of the framework that are reactive to the one or more chemicals used for performing the chemical modification.

3. The method of claim 1 , the chemical modification with the one or more chemicals comprising immersing the structure subsequently in the one or more chemicals.

4. The method of claim 1 , the desired encoded functionality being given by the remaining crosslinked portions of the second photosensitive material.

5. The method of claim 1 , the removal from the volume of any remaining non-crosslinked portions of the first photosensitive material comprising a dissolving of the non-crosslinked portions in a solvent.

6. The method of claim 1 , the first and/or second pattern defining spatial features of the first and/or second photosensitive material at a resolution in between 5 nm and 500 μm.

7. The method of claim 1 , the first and the second photosensitive material being each provided to the volume homogeneously together with a respective photoinitiator, the photoinitiator being adapted for initiating the two-photon crosslinking of monomers of the respective first and second photosensitive material upon exposure of the photoinitiator to the respective first and second focused laser beam.

8. The method of claim 1 , the hydrogel being a derivative of anyone of the following: polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), polyacrylamide, gelatin and protein derivatives.

9. The method of claim 8 , the derivative being an acrylate or methacrylate resin.

10. The method of claim 9 , the hydrogel being poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA).

11. The method of claim 1 , the second photosensitive material comprising mono-acrylate-derivatized molecules.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the second photosensitive material with the second focused laser beam comprises scanning the second photosensitive material with the second focused laser beam at 3×10 4 um/s, the second focused laser beam generated from a laser operating at 11-16 mW power.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired encoded functionality of the reactive sites comprises an affinity for platinum nanoparticles.

Assignees

• Max Planck Gesellschaft

Inventors

• Sitti Metin
• Ceylan Hakan
• Yasa Immihan Ceren

Classifications

• G03F7/0027 Primary

  characterised by pressure means · CPC title

• G03F7/2053

  using a laser (ablative removal B41C) · CPC title

• G03F7/038

  Macromolecular compounds which are rendered insoluble or differentially wettable (G03F7/075 takes precedence; macromolecular azides G03F7/012; macromolecular diazonium compounds G03F7/021) · CPC title

• B81C3/001 Primary

  Bonding of two components · CPC title

• G03F7/04

  Chromates (G03F7/075 takes precedence) · CPC title