Template Directed Assembly of Polymer Blends into Nonuniform Geometries at Multiple Length Scales

CHN has developed a suite of templates and assembly processes for directing the assembly of a variety of nanoelements. These assembly processes utilize both electric fields and/or chemical functionalization. Chemically functionalized templates have been used to direct the assembly of polymer blends into uniform and nonuniform patterns. The selective assembly process can be finished in 30 seconds directly from a solution of the two polymers. Using a short solvent annealing step allows the assembly of multiple length scales on a single template. Electrophoretic and Dielectrophoretic assembly processes have been used to pattern conducting polymers followed by transfer to a secondary substrate. Conducting polymers and carbon nanotubes have been successfully transferred to a polymer substrate. The entire process of patterning and transfer takes less than five minutes, which is commercially relevant and can be utilized for real time processing.