The range of stretch-tunability of sinusoidal wrinkled surfaces that are obtained by compression of supported thin films is limited by the emergence of a period-doubled mode at high compressive strains. This disclosure presents a method to suppress the emergence of the period-doubled mode at high strains. This is achieved by compressing pre-patterned supported thin films, wherein the pre-patterns are substantially similar to the natural pattern of the supported thin film system. As compared to flat thin film systems, pre-patterned thin film systems exhibit period doubling behavior at a higher compressive strain. The onset strain for emergence of period-doubling is tuned by altering the amplitude of the pre-patterns.

The range of stretch-tunability of sinusoidal wrinkled surfaces that are obtained by compression of supported thin films is limited by the emergence of a period-doubled mode at high compressive strains. This disclosure presents a method to suppress the emergence of the period-doubled mode at high strains. This is achieved by compressing pre-patterned supported thin films, wherein the pre-patterns are substantially similar to the natural pattern of the supported thin film system. As compared to flat thin film systems, pre-patterned thin film systems exhibit period doubling behavior at a higher compressive strain. The onset strain for emergence of period-doubling is tuned by altering the amplitude of the pre-patterns.

This invention relates to the low-cost manufacture of a tunable physical topographic pattern and more particularly to the manufacture of micro and nano scale hierarchical periodic wrinkle patterns that are generated upon compression of supported thin films. Disclosed herein is (i) a composite material with tunable hierarchical wrinkle patterns, wherein the composite material comprises a stretched and pre-patterned base layer and a thin film that is conformally attached to the pre-patterned surface of the base layer, (ii) a method of fabricating the pre-patterned base via pattern replication, and (iii) a method of fabricating tunable hierarchical wrinkle patterns, wherein the pattern can be deterministically switched across the hierarchical and non-hierarchical states via strain control.

This invention relates to the low-cost manufacture of a tunable physical topographic pattern and more particularly to the manufacture of micro and nano scale hierarchical periodic wrinkle patterns that are generated upon compression of supported thin films. Disclosed herein is (i) a composite material with tunable hierarchical wrinkle patterns, wherein the composite material comprises a stretched and pre-patterned base layer and a thin film that is conformally attached to the pre-patterned surface of the base layer, (ii) a method of fabricating the pre-patterned base via pattern replication, and (iii) a method of fabricating tunable hierarchical wrinkle patterns, wherein the pattern can be deterministically switched across the hierarchical and non-hierarchical states via strain control.

A method of creating a three-dimensionally shaped object, the method having: a creation step for creating image data for printing an image on a thermally expandable sheet; a printing step for printing an image on the thermally expandable sheet on the basis of the image data created in the creation step; and a protuberation step for partially protuberating the thermally expandable sheet via thermal expansion by irradiating light toward the image printed on the thermally expandable sheet in the printing step. The creation step creates image data such that a grayscale of an image is set so that a fastening portion that fastens a thermally expandable sheet is either intermittently or continuously surrounded by a region where a protuberation height resulting from the thermal expansion is high.

A method for marking an item including a shape memory polymer (SMP) having a visual readable and/or machine readable graphic element on the surface of the item. The method includes pretreating the surface of the item; coloring the surface of the item with a dye solution containing an organic dye and an organic solvent; cleaning and drying the surface of the item; and engraving by at least partially ablating the surface of the item. The dyeing process is suitable for coloring the surface of a shape memory polymer (SMP), wherein the information is engraved in a form of a code or other label on the colored surface. The coloring causes an increased contrast and thus facilitates machine readability of marking and coding without affecting the other properties of the SMP.

A method for marking an item including a shape memory polymer (SMP) having a visual readable and/or machine readable graphic element on the surface of the item. The method includes pretreating the surface of the item; coloring the surface of the item with a dye solution containing an organic dye and an organic solvent; cleaning and drying the surface of the item; and engraving by at least partially ablating the surface of the item. The dyeing process is suitable for coloring the surface of a shape memory polymer (SMP), wherein the information is engraved in a form of a code or other label on the colored surface. The coloring causes an increased contrast and thus facilitates machine readability of marking and coding without affecting the other properties of the SMP.

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an imitation wood and is featured by adjusting the temperature of a discharge outlet before or during conveyance of thermoplastic elastomers in a helical section of a screw extruder to be lower than the temperature of a tail end of the helical section, such that the viscosity of the thermoplastic elastomers in the discharge outlet increases and the flow velocity reduces at the outlet during the discharge process at the discharge outlet. Thus, the thermoplastic elastomers flow in a direction opposite to the discharge direction and rub, resulting in marks of back-flow and rubbing. During the process of back-flow and rubbing, the plastics will be pulled and break along the rubber elastomers and become filament-like, thereby generating filaments similar to wood. Then, the foaming blank material is squeezed out of the discharge outlet and is forced into a molding machine to proceed with planarity trimming, and the output material is cooled with a preset cold-bath tank of the molding machine, providing adjustment of different densities of imitation wood, such that the imitation wood produced by the present invention has high simulation of wood.