Polymer relief microstructures by inkjet etching
-
de Gans, Berend-Jan; Höppener, Stephanie; Schubert, Ulrich S.
- Abstract:
- Inkjet etching can create a variety of structures in polymer films, such as (arrays of) holes or
grooves. These form by dissolution where a solvent droplet hits the film, followed by droplet
evaporation and polymer redeposition at its pinned contact line. The hole radius, R, scales with
the total number of droplets printed at a spot, Ndr, as R3 (NdrVdr)0.34. The width of a groove, D,
scales with the total number of drops per unit length Ndr/L as D 3 (Ndr/L)0.56. Theory predicts an
exponent of M and K, respectively. Possible applications of inkjet etching are in the field of rapid
prototyping. Proof of principle for possible electronic applications is given by creating a patterned
Cr/Au-bilayer. Printing a dispersion creates polymer composite structures with encapsulated
nanoparticles, as shown by SFM.
- Year:
- 2007
- Type of Publication:
- Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Materials Chemistry
- Volume:
- 17
- Pages:
- 3045 - 3050