Fabrication of micropatterns of nanoarrays on a polymeric gel surface

Micro-nano patterns of gold on the surface of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels were prepared. The approach combines the technique of conventional photolithography (a top-down method for micropatterns), block copolymer micelle nanolithography (a bottom-up method for gold nanopatterns), and a linker-assistant technique to transfer a pattern on a hard surface to a polymeric surface. Hybrid micro-nano patterns on hydrogels were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The patterned Au nanoparticles were further modified by a peptide containing arginine-glycine-aspatate (RGD). The cell-adhesion contrast of the patterned hydrogel surface was confirmed by preliminary cell experiments.