Simple Method for Photopatterning Commercial PDMS Using an Off-the-Shelf Photodeactivated Hydrosilylation Inhibitor
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper describes a method of micropatterning commercial silicone elastomers using a photodeactivated hydrosilylation inhibitor. The method uses small doses of 365 nm light and is compatible with common platinum-cured formulations of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The hydrosilylation (cross-linking) inhibitor is a UV-sensitive emulsion composed of FeCl 3 and a commercially available poly(ethylene oxide)- co -PDMS copolymer. This mixture enables selective solidification of exposed regions while preventing solidification in unexposed areas. This approach facilitates the creation of complex geometries while preserving the mechanical tunability, biocompatibility, and optical transparency of the base silicone. The patterned structures have been successfully used to fabricate high-resolution microfluidic devices and substrates for measuring the contractility of cardiac cells with integrated strain gauges. The process achieves feature sizes as small as 20 μm and is compatible with standard photolithography tools.
Source: ACS Applied Polymer Materials
Authors: Samuel J. Edmunds, Noel Sebastien D. Mallari, Marc N. Levy, Qinyu Liang, Anum Tahir, Dhivya Pushpa Meganathan, Lisa Tang, Leah Sadr, Jacqueline Lampert, Wade Shipley, Hannah E. Fishman, Rafael A. Montalvo, Tarek Rafeedi, Abdulhameed Abdal, Tse Nga Ng, Jinhye Bae, Andrea R. Tao, Nathan A. Romero, Zeinab Jahed, Darren J. Lipomi
Institution: University of California San Diego
Language: English
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Research Foundation, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, National Research Foundation of Korea, Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea, National Institutes of Health, University of California, San Diego, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, Harvard University, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Division of Materials Research, Division of Chemistry, Air Force Office of Scientific Research
OpenAlex ID: W7140167732