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Polymers
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Advances in Laser–Polymer Interaction for Functional Applications
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Advances in Laser–Polymer Interaction for Functional Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 May 2022) | Viewed by 11572

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Daniel Sola

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Aragonese Foundation for Research & Development (ARAID), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: laser–polymer interaction mechanisms; laser micro- and nanostructuring of polymers; direct laser interference patterning in polymers; laser-induced period surface structures in polymers; applications of modified polymers; functional polymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since their invention in 1960, lasers have been successfully applied to both fundamental and applied research. In particular, materials laser processing is a versatile tool for materials synthesis, modification, and structuring involving in many cases multidisciplinary approaches. Laser technology has been studied at different wavelengths and at different length scales in the search for novel applications.

This Special Issue covers fundamental, applied, technological, and industrial aspects of laser–polymer interaction, as well as novel applications in the fields of optics, photonics, energy, microelectronics, biomedicine, and materials science.

It is my pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript to this Special Issue. Full papers, short communications, and reviews would be greatly appreciated.

Dr. Daniel Sola
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Laser ablation of polymers
  • Laser microstructuring of polymers
  • Laser nanostructuring of polymers
  • Laser texturing of polymers
  • Laser polymerization
  • Laser deposition of polymers
  • Laser transfer and printing of polymers
  • Modelling of laser processing of polymers
  • Applications of polymers processed by laser

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 9891 KiB  
Article
New Approach toward Laser-Assisted Modification of Biocompatible Polymers Relevant to Neural Interfacing Technologies
by Nadya Stankova, Anastas Nikolov, Ekaterina Iordanova, Georgi Yankov, Nikolay Nedyalkov, Petar Atanasov, Dragomir Tatchev, Eugenia Valova, Konstantin Kolev, Stephan Armyanov, Daniela Karashanova and Naoki Fukata
Polymers 2021, 13(17), 3004; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13173004 - 04 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2677
Abstract
We report on a new approach toward a laser-assisted modification of biocompatible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomers relevant to the fabrication of stretchable multielectrode arrays (MEAs) devices for neural interfacing technologies. These applications require high-density electrode packaging to provide a high-resolution integrating system for neural [...] Read more.
We report on a new approach toward a laser-assisted modification of biocompatible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomers relevant to the fabrication of stretchable multielectrode arrays (MEAs) devices for neural interfacing technologies. These applications require high-density electrode packaging to provide a high-resolution integrating system for neural stimulation and/or recording. Medical grade PDMS elastomers are highly flexible with low Young’s modulus < 1 MPa, which are similar to soft tissue (nerve, brain, muscles) among the other known biopolymers, and can easily adjust to the soft tissue curvatures. This property ensures tight contact between the electrodes and tissue and promotes intensive development of PDMS-based MEAs interfacing devices in the basic neuroscience, neural prosthetics, and hybrid bionic systems, connecting the human nervous system with electronic or robotic prostheses for restoring and treating neurological diseases. By using the UV harmonics 266 and 355 nm of Nd:YAG laser medical grade PDMS elastomer is modified by ns-laser ablation in water. A new approach of processing is proposed to (i) activate the surface and to obtain tracks with (ii) symmetric U-shaped profiles and (iii) homogeneous microstructure This technology provides miniaturization of the device and successful functionalization by electroless metallization of the tracks with platinum (Pt) without preliminary sensitization by tin (Sn) and chemical activation by palladium (Pd). As a result, platinum black layers with a cauliflower-like structure with low values of sheet resistance between 1 and 8 Ω/sq are obtained. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Laser–Polymer Interaction for Functional Applications)
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9 pages, 2285 KiB  
Article
Direct Laser Interference Patterning of Diffraction Gratings in Safrofilcon-A Hydrogel: Fabrication and Hydration Assessment
by Daniel Sola, Stephan Milles and Andrés F. Lasagni
Polymers 2021, 13(5), 679; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13050679 - 24 Feb 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2144
Abstract
Refractive index modification by laser micro-structuration of diffractive optical devices in ophthalmic polymers has recently been applied for refractive correction in the fields of optics and ophthalmology. In this work, Safrofilcon-A hydrogel, used as soft contact lenses, was processed by direct laser interference [...] Read more.
Refractive index modification by laser micro-structuration of diffractive optical devices in ophthalmic polymers has recently been applied for refractive correction in the fields of optics and ophthalmology. In this work, Safrofilcon-A hydrogel, used as soft contact lenses, was processed by direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) to fabricate linear periodic patterns on the surface of the samples. Periodic modulation of the surface was attained under two-beam interference by using a Q-switched laser source with emission at 263 nm and 4 ns pulse duration. Features of processed areas were studied as a function of both the interference spatial period and the laser fluence. Optical confocal microscopy used to evaluate the topography of the processed samples showed that both structured height and surface roughness increased with laser fluence. Static water contact angle (WCA) measurements were carried out with deionized water droplets on the structured areas to evaluate the hydration properties of DLIP structures. It was observed that the laser structured areas induced a delay in the hydration process. Finally, microstructural changes induced in the structured areas were assessed by confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy showing that at low laser fluences the polymer structure remained almost unaltered. In addition, Raman spectra of hydrated samples recovered the original shape of areas structured at low laser fluence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Laser–Polymer Interaction for Functional Applications)
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12 pages, 2161 KiB  
Article
The Role of Thermal Accumulation on the Fabrication of Diffraction Gratings in Ophthalmic PHEMA by Ultrashort Laser Direct Writing
by Daniel Sola, Javier R. Vázquez de Aldana and Pablo Artal
Polymers 2020, 12(12), 2965; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym12122965 - 11 Dec 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1927
Abstract
The fabrication of diffraction gratings by ultrashort direct laser writing in poly-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate (PHEMA) polymers used as soft contact lenses is reported. Diffraction gratings were inscribed by focusing laser radiation 100 µm underneath the surface of the samples. Low- and high-repetition rate Ti:sapphire lasers [...] Read more.
The fabrication of diffraction gratings by ultrashort direct laser writing in poly-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate (PHEMA) polymers used as soft contact lenses is reported. Diffraction gratings were inscribed by focusing laser radiation 100 µm underneath the surface of the samples. Low- and high-repetition rate Ti:sapphire lasers with 120 fs pulsewidth working at 1 kHz and 80 MHz respectively were used to assess the role of thermal accumulation on microstructural and optical characteristics. Periodic patterns were produced for different values of repetition rate, pulse energy, laser wavelength, distance between tracks, and scanning speed. Compositional and structural modifications of the processed areas were studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy showing that under certain parameters, thermal accumulation may result in local densification. Far-field diffraction patterns were recorded for the produced gratings to assess the refractive index change induced in the processed areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Laser–Polymer Interaction for Functional Applications)
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16 pages, 73479 KiB  
Article
Laser-Induced Selective Electroless Plating on PC/ABS Polymer: Minimisation of Thermal Effects for Supreme Processing Speed
by Karolis Ratautas, Vytautas Vosylius, Aldona Jagminienė, Ina Stankevičienė, Eugenijus Norkus and Gediminas Račiukaitis
Polymers 2020, 12(10), 2427; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym12102427 - 21 Oct 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3742
Abstract
The selective surface activation induced by laser (SSAIL) for electroless copper deposition on Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC/ABS) blend is one of the promising techniques of electric circuit formation on free-shape dielectric surfaces, which broadens capabilities of 3D microscopic integrated devices (3D-MIDs). The process [...] Read more.
The selective surface activation induced by laser (SSAIL) for electroless copper deposition on Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC/ABS) blend is one of the promising techniques of electric circuit formation on free-shape dielectric surfaces, which broadens capabilities of 3D microscopic integrated devices (3D-MIDs). The process consists of laser excitation, chemical activation of laser-excited areas by dipping in a liquid and electroless copper deposition of the laser-treated areas. The limiting factor in increasing throughput of the technology is a laser activation step. Laser writing is performed by modern galvanometric scanners which reach the scanning speed of several meters per second. However, adverse thermal effects on PC/ABS polymer surface abridge the high-speed laser writing. In this work, an investigation was conducted on how these thermal effects limit surface activation for selective metal deposition from the view of physics and chemistry. An advanced laser beam scanning technique of interlacing with precise accuracy and the pulse-on-demand technique was applied to overcome mentioned problems for fast laser writing. Initially, the modelling of transient heat conduction was performed. The results revealed a significant reduction in heat accumulation. Applied methods of laser writing allowed the overall processing rate to increase by up to 2.4 times. Surface morphology was investigated by a scanning electron microscope. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to investigate the modification of atomic concentration on the surface after laser treatment. Experiments did not show a correlation between surface morphology and electroless plating on laser-treated areas. However, significant variation in the composition of the material was revealed depending on the surface activity for electroless plating. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Laser–Polymer Interaction for Functional Applications)
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