Functionalized Silica-Epoxy Resin for Durable Flow Cell Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nanoimprint lithography technologies face challenges in achieving a high extent of cure, resistance to damage during processing, and minimizing autofluorescence in patterned substrates used for molecular detection, which affect the manufacturing throughput and signal-to-noise ratio in sequencing applications.
Innovation Solution
A resin composition comprising an epoxy resin matrix with functionalized silica nanoparticles of specific sizes and amounts, which enhances cure extent, hardness, and reduces autofluorescence, ensuring precise feature transfer and improved resistance to damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional resin materials are used in nanoimprint lithography, then the manufacturing process can proceed, but the extent of cure is insufficient and the resin lacks adequate resistance to damage during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite resin composition comprising epoxy resin, silsesquioxane, and colloidal silica particles. This multi-component composite system synergistically enhances both the extent of cure and mechanical strength, resolving the contradiction between reliability and damage resistance during nanoimprint lithography processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the resin by incorporating specific ratios of epoxy resin (60-95 wt%), silsesquioxane (5-40 wt%), and colloidal silica (0.1-10 wt%). These parameter changes optimize the curing characteristics and mechanical properties simultaneously, achieving both high extent of cure and damage resistance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional resin materials are used, then processing can continue, but autofluorescence interferes with signal detection in sequencing applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by selecting specific epoxy resins and incorporating silsesquioxane and colloidal silica, which have low autofluorescence characteristics. This parameter modification reduces background autofluorescence signals, thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio for molecular detection in sequencing applications.
3Productivity
If faster curing is achieved to improve throughput, then manufacturing speed increases, but the resin may not achieve sufficient cure extent and structural integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the chemical composition parameters including epoxy resin type, silsesquoxane content (5-40 wt%), and colloidal silica concentration (0.1-10 wt%). This composition optimization enables the resin to achieve high extent of cure rapidly, supporting increased manufacturing throughput without sacrificing structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite formulation with epoxy resin, silsesquoxane, and colloidal silica creates a synergistic curing system that achieves both rapid curing kinetics and complete cure extent. This composite material system resolves the contradiction between manufacturing speed and cure quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resin composition achieves a consistently high extent of cure within 30 seconds, providing enhanced hardness and low autofluorescence, thereby improving manufacturing throughput and reducing signal interference in sequencing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a resin composition comprising an epoxy resin matrix; and functionalized silica nanoparticles incorporated into the epoxy resin matrix
Implementation Method 2
Examples of the resin composition exhibit a consistently high extent of cure in under 30 seconds
Data Source
AI summary
An example of a resin composition includes an epoxy resin matrix and functionalized silica nanoparticles incorporated into the epoxy resin matrix. The functionalized silica nanoparticles have an average particle size up to about 10 nm. The resin composition is imprintable using nanoimprint lithography. The resin composition may be used to manufacture a patterned substrate for a flow cell.