Development of hydrogel microstructures on single-walled carbon nanotube films

In this study, the development of polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel microstructures led to the micropatterning of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films. Polyethylene glycol was patterned in a process analogous to photolithography in order to manufacture high-density arrays of micrometer-scale hydrogel wells on SWCNT film surfaces. These microwells were composed of hydrophobic SWCNT films surrounded by hydrophilic PEG hydrogel walls. Effects of PEG hydrogel microstructures on the micropatterning of SWCNT films were systematically investigated under different substrates prepared with 3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl methacrylate or octadecyltrichlorosilane solution. A characterization of protein adsorption and an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) reaction were performed to evaluate the biocompatible and electrical efficiency of the patterned SWCNT films in various applications. The proteins selectively adhered to the SWCNT surface inside the microwells, while adherent proteins were absent from the hydrogel walls. In the ECL reaction, the SWCNT films patterned with PEG hydrogel exhibited good, stable ECL behavior, a sign that patterned SWCNT films can be used as flexible and transparent electrodes.