Solventless ordering of colloidal particles through application of patterned elastomeric stamps under pressure

Abstract

We report on an ordering phenomenon of polystyrene beads that occurs when pressure is applied to the colloidal particles between a solid substrate and a patterned elastomeric stamp while maintaining the temperature above the particle's glass transition temperature. The filling time is calculated using a simple two-dimensional squeeze flow theory, which successfully explains the effects of pressure, temperature, size of beads, and stamp geometries on the ordering time.