Tuning the electrochemical properties of silicon wafer by grafted-from micropatterned polymer brushes

Silicon wafer is the material of choice for microfabrication. However, the development of innovative on-chip electrochemical sensors using silicon is hampered by its poor electrochemical properties. In this article we demonstrate how grafted-from micropatterned polymer brushes dramatically enhance the electrochemical response of silicon electrodes. Our results are relevant not only for a deeper understanding of the structure and behavior of polymer brushes, but also for the combination of the versatility of surface-initiated polymerization and an innovative patterning technique (remote photocatalytic lithography) which paves the way for the fabrication of integrated devices.