• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1194-1199
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• 2007

A unique fabrication method for a copper micromesh is proposed and demonstrated. A PDMS mold was fabricated using a microcasting process and then used as a flexible mold in copper electroplating. The fabricated copper micromesh was well formed and connected without any cracks within the entire mold area. The experimental results verified that the fabricated features of the copper micromesh accurately followed the shape of the microstructures of the PDMS mold. This unique fabrication method provides an easy yet precise means of producing three-dimensional metal microstructures.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.624-631
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• 2004

In this paper, new replication techniques fur a metal microcomponent having a real 3D shape were introduced. Helical gear was selected as one of a real 3D microcomponents for this study. The helical gear, which was made of photo-curable resin, was fabricated as a master pattern by microstereolithography technology. Then, a silicone rubber mold was fabricated from the master pattern. Lastly, a final bismuth alloy pattern was transferred from the silicone rubber mold by the microcasting process. In this paper, the replication technique is described in detail from the master pattern to the final pattern with some investigation on factors related to the technique.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.117-122
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• 2009

The hexagonal network-type PDMS microstructures were fabricated and they were employed to low-friction drag surfaces. While the lowest contact angle measured from the smooth surface was $108^{\circ}$ the highest contact angle measured from the microstructured surfaces was $145^{\circ}$ The moving speed of bullet-type capsule attached with a PDMS pad of smooth surface ($CA=108^{\circ}$) was 0.1261 m/s and that with a PDMS pad of microstructured surface ($CA=145^{\circ}$) was 0.1464 m/s. Compared with the smooth surface, the microstructured surface showed 16.1% higher moving speed. The network-type microstructures have a composite surface that is composed with air and PDMS solid. Therefore, the surface does not wet: rather water is lifted by the microstructures. Because of the composite surface, water shows slip-flow on the microstructures, and thus friction drag can be reduced.