3-D interconnected multi-layer microstructure of thermoplastic materials
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a patterned polymer layer, the method comprising:
- a) positioning said polymer layer between a patterned mold and a substrate, wherein said mold and said substrate have substantially different hardnesses, and wherein said polymer layer has a thickness T;
b) compression molding a pattern having at least one through hole into said polymer layer by pressing said mold and said substrate together;
wherein said mold together with said substrate comprises a plurality of unit cells, each having a cell area A, a cell volume V, an occupied cell volume Voc and an unoccupied cell volume equal to V−
Voc;
wherein substantially all of a surface of said mold facing said polymer layer is included in said unit cells, and wherein none of said unit cells includes two or more through hole features;
wherein a condition A*T≦
V−
Voc holds for each of said unit cells;
whereby room for local flow of said polymer during said compression molding is provided.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for compression molding through holes in polymer layers are provided, as are the resulting patterned polymer layers. Two key aspects of the invention are provision of a mold and substrate having different mechanical hardness, and provision of room for local flow of material. These aspects of the invention facilitate formation of through holes by compression molding that are not blocked or partially blocked by undesirable material. These polymer layers can be formed into three dimensional patterned structures by bonding patterned layers together. Since the layers include through holes, a three-dimensional polymer pattern can be formed. These patterned polymer layers and three dimensionally patterned polymer constructs have a wide variety of applications. For example, these constructs can be used for fabrication of micro-fluidic devices, and/or can be used for various medical and biological applications including drug delivery devices and tissue engineering devices.
56 Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A method of fabricating a patterned polymer layer, the method comprising:
-
a) positioning said polymer layer between a patterned mold and a substrate, wherein said mold and said substrate have substantially different hardnesses, and wherein said polymer layer has a thickness T; b) compression molding a pattern having at least one through hole into said polymer layer by pressing said mold and said substrate together; wherein said mold together with said substrate comprises a plurality of unit cells, each having a cell area A, a cell volume V, an occupied cell volume Voc and an unoccupied cell volume equal to V−
Voc;wherein substantially all of a surface of said mold facing said polymer layer is included in said unit cells, and wherein none of said unit cells includes two or more through hole features; wherein a condition A*T≦
V−
Voc holds for each of said unit cells;whereby room for local flow of said polymer during said compression molding is provided. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
Specification