Injection molding of polymer micro- and sub-micron structures with high-aspect ratios

Abstract

This work studies the injection molding characteristics of polymer micro- and sub-micron structures using demonstration mold inserts with micro- and sub-micron channels with high-aspect ratios. The effects of the injection molding parameters on the achievable aspect ratio of the micro- and sub-micron walls were investigated. Additionally, distinctive mold-filling behaviors and resulting defects were observed for various polymers, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Experimental results reveal that the mold temperature determines the success of the injection molding of micro- and sub-micron walls. The satisfactory mold temperature for micro-injection molding significantly exceeds that for traditional injection molding. Moreover, the main injection pressure and the main injection time substantially affect the achievable aspect ratio of the micro- and sub-micron walls. Furthermore, unusual flow behaviors occur and poor molding results are obtained when PP and HDPE are used for micro-injection molding.