Micropatterned Ceramics by Casting into Polymer Molds

Abstract

Patterned ceramic surfaces with a feature resolution in the micrometer range are generated by casting aqueous suspensions of high solids loadings onto nonporous polymer molds. The suspensions are solidified by evaporation of the solvent. High‐quality line patterns with an aspect ratio of 1 and a pitch of 3 μm were fabricated for alumina, zirconia, cerium gadolinium oxide, and tin oxide powders using molds of poly(dimethylsiloxane). In addition, alumina parts were also created with molds made of a polyolefin (high‐density polyethylene), a fluoropolymer (poly(tetrafluoroethylene‐ co ‐hexafluoropropylene)), and an epoxy system.