Water-Soluble Biomass Resist Materials Based on Polyglucuronic Acid for Eco-Friendly Photolithography

Abstract

This study presents the development of photolithography employing biomass-based resist materials derived from polyglucuronic acid. Traditional resist materials require coating and developing procedures involving organic solvents, whereas our approach enables the use of water-based spin-coating and developing processes. The water-soluble biomass resist material, derived from polyglucuronic acid, exhibited exceptional photosensitivity at an exposure wavelength of 365 nm and a dose of approximately 90 mJ/cm2. We successfully patterned the microstructures, creating 3 µm lines and 6 µm holes. This organic solvent-free coating process underscores its applicability in scenarios such as in the microfabrication on plastic substrates with limited organic solvent tolerance and surface-patterning biomaterials containing cells and culture components.