Technomolecular Materials: 3D Printed 2D Nanosheets with Self Patterned Electrodes

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method for self patterning silver nanoelectrodes on 3D printed nanosheets using electron beam irradiation, enabling advanced applications in flexible electronics and bioelectronics.

Contribution

It introduces a new technique for direct self patterning of nanoelectrodes on 3D printed nanosheets via electron beam lithography, combining molecular self-assembly with nanoscale patterning.

Findings

Electron beam irradiation induces self patterning of silver nanoelectrodes.

Molecular structure influences pattern formation: saturated vs conjugated variants.

Dynamic diffusion aggregation mechanisms enable controlled circuit patterning.

Abstract

Building on our prior work, where our team transcended self assembled molecular monolayers (SAMs) research from a 2D configuration to 3D structured materials and successfully introduced the molecular self assembled 3D printer to fabricate technomolecular materials hybrid carbon metal nanosheets that mimic biological self assembly through cooperative organic inorganic interactions these materials promise advances in nanotechnology by enabling seamless integration of molecular systems with metallic electrodes. Here we show that electron beam irradiation induces direct self patterning of silver fractal nanoelectrodes on the technomolecular nanosheets, with formation influenced by molecular structure: saturated variants yield localized nanoparticles, while conjugated ones produce propagated fractals via electron delocalization and cross linking. In situ transmission electron microscopy reveals dynamic diffusion aggregation mechanisms, allowing controlled circuit patterns through resist free electron beam lithography. This approach advances flexible electronics, bioelectronics, and energy conversion, including fractal antennas and unclonable identifiers.