Scalable lithography from Natural DNA Patterns via polyacrylamide gel

Sci Rep. 2015 Dec 7:5:17872. doi: 10.1038/srep17872.

Abstract

A facile strategy for fabricating scalable stamps has been developed using cross-linked polyacrylamide gel (PAMG) that controllably and precisely shrinks and swells with water content. Aligned patterns of natural DNA molecules were prepared by evaporative self-assembly on a PMMA substrate, and were transferred to unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) to form a negative replica. The negative was used to pattern the linear structures onto the surface of water-swollen PAMG, and the pattern sizes on the PAMG stamp were customized by adjusting the water content of the PAMG. As a result, consistent reproduction of DNA patterns could be achieved with feature sizes that can be controlled over the range of 40%-200% of the original pattern dimensions. This methodology is novel and may pave a new avenue for manufacturing stamp-based functional nanostructures in a simple and cost-effective manner on a large scale.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acrylic Resins / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Optical Phenomena
  • Polyesters / chemistry
  • Polymethyl Methacrylate / chemistry
  • Printing / methods*
  • Salmon
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Acrylic Resins
  • Polyesters
  • polyacrylamide gels
  • Water
  • DNA
  • Polymethyl Methacrylate