Capillary-Formed Reentrant Micropatterns for Omniphobic Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing surfaces with hydrophobicity and oleophobicity require complex processes that increase costs and pose environmental and health risks due to the use of harmful chemicals.
Innovation Solution
A method using capillary force to transform pillar-shaped fine patterns into reentrant structures by applying a UV-curable resin, contacting it with a fine pattern, and curing it with ultraviolet rays to form an omniphobic surface without chemical treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical surface treatment processes such as deposition are used to create reentrant structures, then hydrophobicity and oleophobicity are achieved, but manufacturing costs increase and harmful chemicals are used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical deposition processes with a mechanical capillary force-based method. A cylindrical mold with reentrant structure is pressed into a curable resin layer, and capillary forces automatically form the desired structure without chemical treatments. This substitution eliminates harmful chemicals and simplifies the manufacturing process while achieving the same hydrophobicity and oleophobicity functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The capillary force mechanism enables self-assembly of the resin around the cylindrical mold during the imprinting process. The resin automatically fills the reentrant structure through capillary action without requiring additional chemical deposition steps, making the process self-sufficient and eliminating the need for separate chemical treatment stages.
2Adaptability or versatility
If thermal imprint process is used to form fine patterns, then various materials can be selected, but high pressure is required and heat shrinkage prevents fine pattern formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of the curable resin from liquid to solid state during UV curing. The resin is applied in a liquid state that can flow and fill the reentrant structure under capillary force, then cured to solidify the fine pattern. This phase transition approach allows fine pattern formation without the heat shrinkage problems inherent in thermal imprint processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces thermal energy with UV light energy for the imprinting process. Instead of heating the material above glass transition temperature as in thermal imprint, UV-curable resin is used that cures at room temperature when exposed to UV light, eliminating heat shrinkage and enabling precise fine pattern formation while maintaining material versatility.
3Productivity
If optical imprint process is used to implement ultra-fine patterns, then fast curing time is achieved, but complex processes and harmful chemicals are required
Solution Approach 1:
The capillary force mechanism provides self-assembly of the resin around the cylindrical mold during imprinting, eliminating the need for complex chemical deposition processes. The resin automatically fills the reentrant structure through capillary action, and UV curing completes the process in one step, maintaining fast curing time while simplifying the overall manufacturing process and eliminating harmful chemicals.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method allows for the production of a micropattern surface with excellent hydrophobicity and oleophobicity in a simple, cost-effective, and time-efficient process, avoiding harmful chemicals and complex processes.
Implementation Method 1
a step of curing the resin by radiating ultraviolet rays while the resin located around a pillar of the fine pattern moves a certain distance along the pillar in a longitudinal direction of the pillar of the fine pattern by capillary force
Implementation Method 2
forming a resin layer by applying an ultraviolet rays (UV) curable resin on a first substrate
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a micropattern surface with a reentrant structure with hydrophobicity and oleophobicity through a simple process using capillary force. The method of the present invention includes a step of forming a resin layer by applying an ultraviolet rays (UV) curable resin on a first substrate; a step of forming a pillar-shaped fine pattern on a second substrate; a step of bringing the resin layer and the fine pattern into contact with each other by moving the first substrate or the second substrate so that the resin layer and the fine pattern face each other; and a step of curing the resin by radiating ultraviolet rays while the resin located around a pillar of the fine pattern moves a certain distance along the pillar in the longitudinal direction of the pillar of the fine pattern by capillary force.