High pressure soft lithography for micro-topographical patterning of molded polymers and composites

US10899045B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• USA as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Frank L. Palmieri · Hampton, US
• Vincent Cruz · Hayes, US
• Christopher J. Wohl, Jr. · Portsmouth, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 12, 2014
• Grant date: Jan 26, 2021
• Expiry date: Mar 28, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B29K2883/00
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A soft lithography template or stamp is made by casting a polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) or other suitable elastomeric precursor onto a master pattern. The master pattern may be formed utilizing known micro-fabrication techniques. The PDMS template includes an inverse copy of the micro-structures on the master pattern, and can be placed into a mold used to prepare a carbon-fiber reinforced polymer composite part or other polymer molding systems where a matrix material passes through a fluid state during the cure process. The liquid resin material flows into the structures on the surface of the PDMS template and hardens during the curing cycle. After the part is released from the mold, the PDMS template can be peeled from the surface of the part to reveal the free standing micro structures which are a replica of the master pattern.