Dear All,
I'm using either silica, polystyrene, or PMMA particles as a template, into which I infiltrate PDMS. I then would like to remove the templating particles, leaving behind the PDMS. I initially attempted this with silica templating particles and used HF or a buffered oxide etch to remove silica. However, the PDMS around the silica became cloudy and with inferior mechanical properties (disintegrating under certain conditions). Does anyone have experience with this, or could point me to some literature in this direction?
Thanks a lot!
Anna
Dear Anna V Shnneidman
you can use THF, that a good solvent material for that
regards
Maytham
It is difficult to remove of silica from PDMS template using HF because it can also attack PDMS resulting weaker mechanical properties. You may consider PS or PMMA core for relatively easier and selective removal by using suitable organic solvents from the PDMS.
Thank you for your helpful replies!
Please let me know if you have suggestions about other elastomeric (stretchy) transparent material compatible with selective template removal that I could use instead of PDMS. Thanks in advance!
I do not recommend THF at all! since it is a good solvent for PDMS as well.
Instead use Dimethyl Formamide (DMF) for removing the organic templates and HF or concentrated NaOH for the removal of SiO2.
Howbeit, look for solvent compatibility/resistance, Hildebrand solubility parameters, and swelling ratio of PDMS, PMMA, and PS in different solvents.
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