A method of forming a metal mold for casting a micro-scale dry adhesive structure includes securing a master patch of material including a micro-scale dry adhesive structure on a plating fixture, electroforming the metal mold on the patch of material, and removing the metal mold from the plating fixture and patch of material.

The presently disclosed subject matter describes the use of fluorinated elastomer-based materials, in particular perfluoropolyether (PFPE)-based materials, in high-resolution soft or imprint lithographic applications, such as micro- and nanoscale replica molding, and the first nano-contact molding of organic materials to generate high fidelity features using an elastomeric mold. Accordingly, the presently disclosed subject matter describes a method for producing free-standing, isolated nanostructures of any shape using soft or imprint lithography technique.

A method for forming a functional part in a minute space includes the steps of: filling a minute space with a dispersion functional material in which a thermally-meltable functional powder is dispersed in a liquid dispersion medium; evaporating the liquid dispersion medium present in the minute space; and heating the functional powder and hardening it under pressure.

Methods for fabricating three-dimensional microstructures are provided. The method includes disposing a reflow material on a mold, heating the reflow material, and creating a pressure gradient across the reflow material to reflow the material towards a bottom surface of the mold. The mold includes a molding region, a boundary region, and a thermal-isolating region disposed therebetween. The molding region includes a cavity and a projection projecting upwards from a bottom surface of the cavity. The thermal-isolating region includes at least one pocket formed adjacent to and along a perimeter of the cavity of the molding region. During heating, the temperature of the molding region is higher than that of the boundary region and the thermal-isolating region controls the thermal conductivity and mass therebetween. The material reflows towards the bottom surface of the cavity and the protrusion helps shapes the reflow material to form a substantially symmetrical three-dimensional microstructure.

The disclosure relates to microchemical (or microfluidic) apparatus as well as related methods for making the same. The methods generally include partial sintering of sintering powder (e.g., binderless or otherwise free-flowing sintering powder) that encloses a fugitive phase material having a shape corresponding to a desired cavity structure in the formed apparatus. Partial sintering removes the fugitive phase and produces a porous compact, which can then be machined if desired and then further fully sintered to form the final apparatus. The process can produce apparatus with small, controllable cavities shaped as desired for various microchemical or microfluidic unit operations, with a generally smooth interior cavity finish, and with materials (e.g., ceramics) able to withstand harsh environments for such unit operations.

Compression molding of metals is used to make microchannel heat exchangers. Heat transfer can be improved by employing controlled microchannel surface roughness. Flux-free bonding is achieved using a eutectic thin-film intermediate layer. Seals are leak-tight, mechanically strong, and uniform across multiple contact areas. The metal heat exchangers may be mass-produced inexpensively, and are useful for applications including the cooling of computer chips and other high-power electronic devices, air conditioning, refrigeration, condenser plates, radiators, fuel cell heat management, and instant water heating.

A three-dimensional micro-structure has a plurality of adjacent micro-columns which are arranged at a distance from each other and essentially parallel in relation to the respective longitudinal extension. The micro-columns are made of at least one micro-column material having respectively an aspect ratio in the region of 20-1000 and respectively a micro-column diameter in the region of 0.1 m-200 m. A micro-column intermediate chamber is arranged between adjacent micro-columns having a micro-column distance selected from between the adjacent micro-columns in the region of 1 m-100 m. According to a method for producing the three-dimensional micro-structures: a) a template is provided with template material, b) the micro-column material is arranged in the column-like cavities, and c) the template is at least partially removed.

The presently disclosed subject matter describes the use of fluorinated elastomer-based materials, in particular perfluoropolyether (PFPE)-based materials, in high-resolution soft or imprint lithographic applications, such as micro- and nanoscale replica molding, and the first nano-contact molding of organic materials to generate high fidelity features using an elastomeric mold. Accordingly, the presently disclosed subject matter describes a method for producing free-standing, isolated nanostructures of any shape using soft or imprint lithography technique.

A method of making microstructures having re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology includes forming a mold defining the negative surface features of the re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology that is to be formed. In one embodiment, a soft or flowable material is formed on a first substrate and the mold is contacted with the same to form a solid, now positive surface having the re-entrant or doubly re-entrant topology. The mold is then released from the first substrate. The microstructures are secured to a second, different substrate, and the first substrate is removed. Any residual microstructure material located between adjacent microstructures may be removed to form the separate microstructures on the second substrate. The second substrate may be thin and flexible any manipulated into useful or desired shapes having the microstructures on one side thereof.

There is provided a master for micro flow path creation, a transfer copy, and a method for producing a master for micro flow path creation by which transfer copies having an area with high hydrophilicity can be easily mass-produced, the master for micro flow path creation including: a base material; a main concave-convex portion provided on a surface of the base material and extending in a planar direction of the base material; and a fine concave-convex portion provided on a surface of the main concave-convex portion and having a narrower pitch than the main concave-convex portion. The fine concave-convex portion has an arithmetic average roughness of 10 nm to 150 nm and has a specific surface area ratio of 1.1 to 3.0.