Micropatterning of Phenylsilsesquioxane Thick Films by the Electrophoretic Sol-Gel Deposition Process Using ITO Substrates with a Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic Patterned Surface

Abstract

Micropatterns of phenylsilsesquioxane thick films have been prepared by electrophoretic sol-gel deposition using ITO-coated substrates with a hydrophobic-hydrophilic patterned surface. After the electrophoretic deposition, phenylsilsesquioxane thick films were formed only on hydrophilic areas on the pattern. These thick films obtained immediately after the electrophoretic deposition were opaque due to light scattering. However, phenylsilsesquioxane particles in the films were morphologically changed from aggregates of the spherical particles to continuous phase by a heat treatment process, and finally convex shaped phenylsilsesquioxane micropatterns were formed only on the hydrophilic areas.