Nanoimprinting of silk fibroin structures for biomedical and biophotonic applications

摘要

The present invention provides for photonic nanoimprinted silk fibroin-based materials and methods for making same, comprising embossing silk fibroin-based films with photonic nanometer scale patterns. In addition, the invention provides for processes by which the silk fibroin-based films can be nanoimprinted at room temperature, by locally decreasing the glass transition temperature of the silk film. Such nanoimprinting process increases high throughput and improves potential for incorporation of silk-based photonics into biomedical and other optical devices.

主权项

1. A method for forming a photonic nanopattern on a silk fibroin-based biopolymer film comprising:
obtaining a silk fibroin-based biopolymer film; pressing said biopolymer film with a master photonic nanopattern at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of said biopolymer film to form a photonic nanopattern on said biopolymer film; and optionally, separating said master photonic nanopattern and said nanopatterned biopolymer film.