Patent ID: 8535879
Filing Date: 2013-09-17
Classification: B29C,B82Y,G03F

Abstract:
1. A method for the preparation of a surface structured bulk hydrogel bearing a topographic and chemical pattern, comprising the steps of: (i) providing a primary master having a predetermined topographic pattern, (ii) replicating said primary master by an elastomeric secondary master to obtain a secondary master with said predetermined topographic pattern in its inverse form, (iii) replicating said secondary master by an imprintable curable material of hydrogel precursor molecules which are capable of forming a hydrogel once crosslinked by curing, and crosslinking said material to thereby yield a bulk hydrogel replica made of cross-linked bulk hydrogel bearing the topographic pattern identical to that of the primary master, and (iv) functionalizing the bulk hydrogel replica with a chemical pattern, wherein the functionalizing comprises the step of: