Surface modification of PDMS for μ-transfer printing by derivation of azobenzene switching units

Abstract

Photoswitchable stamp surfaces would allow a highly flexible and quick variation of the patterns formed by microcontact transfer printing. An attempt to synthesize the azobenzene 1-(4-hydroxy-3-(phenyldiazenyl)phenyl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione proved unsuccessful. Discrepancies found in the paper this work was based on lead to an invitation by the editor of Molecules to publish a comment on the paper. As an alternative approach, the surface modification using an azobenzene containing dendron was investigated. A synthesized denron including a maleimide moiety gave broad 1 H-NMR-signals. A further dendron with an alcohol moiety at the focal point was successfully synthesized and characterized. PDMS functionalization was achieved with this dendron, however by adsorption into the elastomer.

Date of Award	1 Aug 2020
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Peter Quayle (Supervisor) & Stephen Yeates (Supervisor)