(September 10, 2010) — NanoInk’s NanoFabrication Systems Division instruments, most notably the NLP 2000 System, have now been proven to enable applications related to micropatterning of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based hydrogel and UV-curable polymer. These new capabilities broaden the applicability of the NLP 2000 System for biological sciences. Earlier Application Notes described the benefits of using NanoInk’s platform to functionalize biosensors, pattern functional hydrogels and print multiplexed protein arrays.

Launched in 2009 as a tool for bioscience research, the NLP 2000 System is a simple, user-friendly desktop nanolithography platform. The system leverages patentedDip Pen Nanolithography (DPN) technology to deposit sub-cellular-scale features of a wide variety of materials with nanoscale registry, all under ambient conditions. With the addition of two new Application Notes to its portfolio of biological research support materials, NanoInk continues to serve as a true partner to the life science community. "The first of the new Application Notes demonstrates successful use of the NLP 2000 System for micropatterning PEG-based hydrogels," said Tom Warwick, NanoInk’s general manager of sales and marketing. "Hydrogels are three-dimensional cross-linked polymer networks that have physical characteristics similar to those of natural tissues. The versatility of PEG chemistry and the excellent biocompatibility of PEG-based hydrogels have been instrumental in hydrogel advances related to controlled material release, directed cellular function, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine applications. NanoInk has developed a consistent and reproducible methodology for directly depositing hydrogel precursors at defined locations on a surface and subsequently polymerizing these precursors to form PEG-based hydrogels."

The second new bioscience Application Note validates the utility of the NLP 2000 System for printing UV-curable polymers. Features generated by the NLP 2000 System have sub-cellular dimensions, so polymer arrays can be used to study cell/substrate interactions at the single cell level. Micro-patterned polymers are also useful in tissue engineering, lab-on-a-chip, flexible circuit and microlens applications. With DPN’s ability to generate arrays that cover millimeter-scale areas with nanometer resolution and precision, the NLP 2000 System has been proven to print homogeneous and highly reliable polymer patterns onto smooth substrates like glass and silicon wafers.

NanoInk is dedicated to developing and supporting a wide range of biological applications for the NLP 2000 System. The latest two Application Notes further confirm this commitment. A full list of applications notes is available at www.nanoink.net/biomaterials/literature.html#notes.

NanoInk Inc. is an emerging growth technology company specializing in nanometer-scale manufacturing and applications development for the life sciences, engineering, pharmaceutical, and education industries. Using Dip Pen Nanolithography (DPN), a patented and proprietary nanofabrication technology, scientists are enabled to rapidly and easily create micro-and nanoscale structures from a variety of materials on a range of substrates. Visit NanoInk’s Website at www.nanoink.net.