Surface Modification of PDMS Film by Si Template Synthesized Through a Facile Process

In the current contribution, surface modification of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been presented using patterned silicon (Si) template. Different patterns on the Si substrate were fabricated using lift-off (photolithography) and metal-assisted chemical etching process. Experimental results revealed that the formation of highly oriented pattern on the Si wafer preferentially yielded high-density, uniform, and rough friction surface of PDMS films. Importantly, surface modified PDMS film can exhibit higher surface-to-volume ratio, higher friction area (friction contact points), and excellent hydrophobicity. It is expected that the adopted approach will imitate the ability of patterning microstructure on any polymer surface in large-scale and will improve the performance of smoothed-surface polymer films those are currently used in various sectors.