Resin composition and flow cells incorporating the same

1. A resin composition, comprising:

an epoxy resin matrix including glycidyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and epoxycyclohexyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane monomers;

a photoacid generator;

a photoinitiator; and

from about 12 mass % to about 21 mass %, based on total solids in the resin composition, of functionalized silica nanoparticles incorporated into the epoxy resin matrix, the functionalized silica nanoparticles having an average particle size up to about 10 nm.

2. The resin composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the functionalized silica nanoparticles have surface functional groups, and the surface functional groups are acrylic functional groups.

3. The resin composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the functionalized silica nanoparticles are present in an amount of less than 20 mass %, based on total solids in the resin composition.

4. The resin composition as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a liquid carrier.

5. A resin composition, comprising:

a liquid carrier; and

solids dispersed in the liquid carrier, the solids consisting of:

an epoxy material selected from the group consisting of an epoxy functionalized silsesquioxane, trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether, tetrakis(epoxycyclohexyl ethyl)tetramethyl cyclotetrasiloxane, a copolymer of (epoxycyclohexylethyl)methylsiloxane and dimethylsiloxane, 1,3-bis [2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl) ethyl] tetramethyl disiloxane, 1,3-bis(glycidoxypropyl)tetramethyl disiloxane, 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclo-hexanecarboxylate, bis((3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)methyl) adipate, 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene 1,2-epoxide, vinylcyclohexene dioxide, 4,5-epoxytetrahydrophthalic acid diglycidylester, 1,2-epoxy-3-phenoxypropane, glycidyl methacrylate, 1,2-epoxyhexadecane, poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidylether, pentaerythritol glycidyl ether, diglycidyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate, tetrahydrophthalic acid diglycidyl ester, and combinations thereof;

functionalized silica nanoparticles;

an initiating system selected from the group consisting of a direct photoacid generator and a combination of a free radical photoinitiator and a photoacid generator; and

an optional surface additive.

6. The resin composition as defined in claim 5 , wherein the functionalized silica nanoparticles have an average particle size up to about 10 nm.

7. The resin composition as defined in claim 5 , wherein:

the epoxy material is present in an amount ranging from about 65 mass % to less than 100 mass %, based on total solids in the resin composition; and

the functionalized silica nanoparticles are present in an amount ranging from greater than 0 mass % up to about 35 mass %, based on the total solids in the resin composition.

8. The resin composition as defined in claim 5 , wherein the functionalized silica nanoparticles have surface functional groups, and the surface functional groups are selected from the group consisting of acrylic functional groups, carboxy functional groups, amino functional groups, and combinations thereof.

9. A flow cell, comprising:

a substrate; and

a cured, patterned resin on the substrate, the cured, patterned resin including depressions separated by interstitial regions, and the cured, patterned resin including a cured form of a resin composition, the resin composition comprising:

a liquid carrier;

solids dispersed in the liquid carrier, the solids consisting of:

an epoxy material selected from the group consisting of an epoxy functionalized silsesquioxane, trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether. tetrakis(epoxycyclohexyl ethyl)tetramethyl cyclotetrasiloxane, a copolymer of (epoxycyclohexylethyl)methylsiloxane and dimethylsiloxane, 1,3-bis[2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl) ethyl] tetramethyl disiloxane, 1,3-bis(glycidoxypropyl)tetramethyl disiloxane, 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclo-hexanecarboxylate, bis((3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)methyl) adipate, 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene 1,2-epoxide, vinylcyclohexene dioxide, 4,5-epoxytetrahydrophthalic acid diglycidylester, 1,2-epoxy-3-phenoxypropane, glycidyl methacrylate, 1,2-epoxyhexadecane, poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidylether, pentaerythritol glycidyl ether, diglycidyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate, tetrahydrophthalic acid diglycidyl ester, and combinations thereof;

an initiating system selected from the group consisting of a direct photoacid generator and a combination of a free radical photoinitiator and a photoacid generator; and

an optional surface additive; and

functionalized silica nanoparticles incorporated into the epoxy resin matrix, the functionalized silica nanoparticles having an average particle size up to about 10 nm.

10. The flow cell as defined in claim 9 , further comprising:

a hydrogel in the depressions; and

amplification primers attached to the hydrogel.

11. The flow cell as defined in claim 9 , wherein the functionalized silica nanoparticles have surface functional groups, and the surface functional groups are selected from the group consisting of acrylic functional groups, carboxy functional groups, amino functional groups, and combinations thereof.

12. A method, comprising:

mixing an epoxy resin matrix and a liquid carrier to form a mixture;

incorporating functionalized silica nanoparticles having an average particle size up to about 10 nm into the mixture, thereby forming a diluted resin composition, wherein the functionalized silica nanoparticles are present in an amount ranging from greater than 0 mass % up to about 35 mass %, based on total solids in the diluted resin composition;

applying the diluted resin composition on a substrate, whereby at least some of the liquid carrier evaporates to form a nanoimprintable resin composition;

imprinting the nanoimprintable resin composition with a working stamp having a plurality of nanofeatures; and

curing the nanoimprintable resin composition while the working stamp is in place, thereby forming a cured, patterned resin on the substrate.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 , wherein the functionalized silica nanoparticles have surface functional groups, and the surface functional groups are selected from the group consisting of acrylic functional groups, carboxy functional groups, amino functional groups, and combinations thereof.

14. The method as defined in claim 12 , wherein the epoxy resin matrix comprises an epoxy material selected from the group consisting of an epoxy functionalized silsesquioxane; trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether; tetrakis(epoxycyclohexyl ethyl)tetramethyl cyclotetrasiloxane; a copolymer of (epoxycyclohexylethyl)methylsiloxane and dimethylsiloxane; 1,3-bis[2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl) ethyl]tetramethyl disiloxane; 1,3-bis(glycidoxypropyl)tetramethyl disiloxane; 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclo-hexanecarboxylate; bis((3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)methyl) adipate; 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene 1,2-epoxide; vinylcyclohexene dioxide; 4,5-epoxytetrahydrophthalic acid diglycidylester; 1,2-epoxy-3-phenoxypropane; glycidyl methacrylate; 1,2-epoxyhexadecane; poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidylether; pentaerythritol glycidyl ether; diglycidyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate; tetrahydrophthalic acid diglycidyl ester; and combinations thereof.

15. The resin composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the resin composition includes:

76.5 mass % of the epoxy resin matrix;

1.25 mass % of the photoacid generator, and

1.25 mass % of a photoinitiator.