Microcontact printing of macromolecules with submicrometer resolution by means of polyolefin stamps

Microcontact printing (muCP) is a simple and cost-effective method to create micrometer-scale chemical patterns on surfaces. By careful modification of the conventionally used stamping material (poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)) and the stamping technique (e.g., thin stamp muCP), one can create surface chemical structures down to the submicrometer size range. In the present paper we report on the application of a new class of materials-polyolefin plastomers (POPs) for muCP applications. We show that the POP stamps are well suited to print proteins or block copolymers. Comparative studies on reproducibility, homogeneity, and quality of printing between POP and conventional PDMS stamps were also performed. The results show a superior performance of the POP stamps in the nanometer range and an identical performance in the micrometer range compared to PDMS. Further advantages of the POP-based muCP are faster stamp production, the lack of monomeric contamination (typical for PDMS stamps), and the possibility of recycling the POP stamps. We believe that POPs offer a useful alternative to PDMS for muCP and open new possibilities in submicrometer-range printing.