Novel polymeric platform produced by photodegradation-induced rearrangement for a multifunctional negative photoresist

Herein, a series of polymers containing the photosensitive 2-dinitro-benzenemethanol carbonate (DNBC) was developed by click polymerization. Due to the unique photochemical cleavage recombination behavior of DNBC, these polymers were used as negative photoresists to create micropatterns. Furthermore, the photochemical behaviors of DNBC were studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). According the results, we speculated that the photochemical reaction of DNBC involved an initial chemical bond-breaking process and a subsequent recombination process. Importantly, by extending the aldehyde to a branched-chain structure, reactive patterns were developed by film preparation. Clickable amine functional molecules could be grafted upon the substrates by surface modification. Surface modification of reactive patterns with fluorescent amines gave a multifunctional pattern with tunable properties confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Automated summary

In this study, a series of polymers containing the photosensitive DNBC were developed by click polymerization, and used as negative photoresists to create micropatterns. The photochemical behaviors of DNBC were investigated, revealing the mechanism of its photochemical reaction, and demonstrating a method to develop multifunctional patterns with tunable properties through surface modification.