Grafted polythiophene pendent polymer brushes and their electronanopatterning

Abstract

• Nanolithography and patterning using polymer brushes with terthiophene pendents. • Terthiophene-containing chain transfer agent macroinitiator. • Nanolithography and patterning were done using conducting atomic force microscopy. • Nanopattern properties depend on the applied bias voltage and scan rate. Electrochemical nanolithography using grafted polymer brushes with terthiophene (3T) pendent was investigated. The film was fabricated by surface electropolymerization of a reversible addition−fragmentation chain-transfer agent macroinitiator containing a 3T pendant molecule and the subsequent polymer brush growth from a 3T functionalized methacrylate monomer (3T-Methacrylate). Electrochemical nanolithography and patterning were done using conducting atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) enabling precise nanopattern fabrication. In contrast to direct nanowriting, dip pen nanolithography, and nanolithographic additive manufacturing, the electrochemical nanolithography can be readily facilitated by applying a bias voltage between a conductive AFM tip and the grafted polymer brush film at ambient conditions and without ink transfer. The height and electrical resistance of the nanopatterns were dependent on the writing parameters (i.e. applied bias voltage and scan rate).