We have explored the use of mold coatings and optimized processing conditions to injection mold high aspect ratio nanostructures (height-to-width >1) in cyclic olefin copolymer (COC). Optimizing the molding parameters on uncoated nickel molds resulted in slight improvements in replication quality as described by height, width and uniformity of the nanoscopic features. Use of a mold temperature transiently above the polymer glass transition temperature (Tg) was the most important factor in increasing the replication fidelity. Surface coating of the nickel molds with a fluorocarbon-containing thin film (FDTS) greatly enhanced the quality of replicated features, in particular at transient mold temperatures above Tg. Injection molding using the latter mold temperature regime resulted in a bimodal distribution of pillar heights, corresponding to either full or very poor replication of the individual pillars. The poorly replicated structures on nickel molds with or without FDTS coatings all appeared fractured. We investigated the underlying mechanism in a macroscopic model system and found reduced wetting and strongly decreased adhesion of solidified COC droplets on nickel surfaces after coating with FDTS. Reduced adhesion forces are consistent with lowered friction that reduces the risk of fracturing the nanoscopic pillars during demolding. Optimized mold surface chemistry and associated injection molding conditions permitted the fabrication of square arrays of 40 nm wide and 107 nm high (aspect ratio >2.5) pillars on a 200 nm pitch.

Fabrication of micro‐ and nanostructures at line‐speed of 60 m min−1 by large‐area roll‐to‐roll extrusion coating is demonstrated. Nanopillars with diameters 80 nm and heights 100 nm are replicated in polypropylene. The main limiting factor for replication on nanoscale is the retardation time for solidification of the melt.

We present the design-concept for an all polymer injection molded single use microfluidic device. The fabricated devices comprise integrated conducting polymer electrodes and Luer fitting ports to allow for liquid and electrical access. A case study of low voltage electroporation of biological cells in suspension is presented. The working principle of the electroporation device is based on a focusing of the electric field by means of a constriction in the flow channel for the cells. We demonstrate the use of AC voltage for electroporation by applying a 1 kHz, ±50 V square pulse train to the electrodes and show delivery of polynucleotide fluorescent dye in 46% of human acute monocytic leukemia cells passing the constriction.

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a b s t r a c tSurface roughness or texture is the most visible property of any object, including injection molded plastic parts. Roughness of the injection molding (IM) tool cavity directly affects not only appearance and perception of quality, but often also the function of all manufactured plastic parts. So called "optically smooth" plastic surfaces is one example, where low roughness of a tool cavity is desirable. Such tool surfaces can be very expensive to fabricate using conventional means, such as abrasive diamond polishing or diamond turning. We present a novel process to coat machined metal parts with hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) to reduce their surface roughness. Results from the testing of surfaces made from two starting roughnesses are presented; one polished with grit 2500 sandpaper, another with grit 11.000 diamond polishing paste. We characterize the two surfaces with AFM, SEM and optical profilometry before and after coating. We show that the HSQ coating is able to reduce peak-to-valley roughness more than 20 times on the sandpaper polished sample, from 2.44(±0.99) m to 104(±22) nm and more than 10 times for the paste polished sample from 1.85(±0.63) m to 162(±28) nm while roughness averages are reduced 10 and 3 times respectively. We completed more than 10,000 injection molding cycles without detectable degradation of the HSQ coating. This result opens new possibilities for molding of affordable plastic parts with perfect surface finish.

We demonstrate the replication of nanosized pillars in polymer (cyclic olefin copolymer) by injection molding using nanostructured thermally cured hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) ceramic coatings on stainless steel mold inserts with mold nanostructures produced by a simple embossing process. At isothermal mold conditions, the average pillar height increases by up to 100% and a more uniform height distribution is observed compared to a traditional metal mold insert. Thermal heat transfer simulations predict that the HSQ film retards the cooling of the polymer melt during the initial stages of replication, thus allowing more time to fill the nanoscale cavities compared to standard metal molds. A monolayer of a fluorinated silane (heptadecafluorotrichlorosilane) deposited on the mold surface reduces the mold/polymer interfacial energy to support demolding of the polymer replica. The mechanical stability of thermally cured HSQ makes it a promising material for nanopattern replication on an industrial scale without the need for slow and energy intensive variotherm processes.

To improve the optical performance of Fresnel lenses, a technique for preparing them with antireflective structures of the moth-eye type is developed. Masters featuring such hierarchical structures are prepared in SU-8, a negative tone photoresist, by two consecutive thermal imprint steps. The moth-eye structures imprinted first are vacuum ultraviolet-treated at 172 nm to provide a surface-near the cross-linked layer that remains stable during the second imprint of the 100 μm sized Fresnel structures. A successful combination of both structure types is possible at an imprint temperature as low as 45 °C. This can be understood on the basis of the typical exposure and the crosslinking behavior of a chemically amplified negative tone resist like SU-8. The masters prepared in this way will be subjected to extrusion coating, the process of choice for future large area preparation of such structures in a single step.

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