Laser-micromachining of molds to fabricate easy-flow polymeric surfaces

IPL公司于1939年在魁北克成立，是北美领先的注塑塑料制造商 产品包括薄壁盖子和容器。IPL的两个主要市场是食品包装和 有机垃圾堆肥容器。这两种类型的容器都会出现与其内容物有关的问题 粘在墙上，如食物被浪费，因污垢而产生恶臭。 通过这个合作项目，我们计划证明可以生产不粘、自动倒空的集装箱 通过用激光微机械加工的钢模成型聚合物。通过传授微结构 激光加工金属是Kietzig教授实验室开发的一种广为人知的方法。通过使用 激光结构金属模具要形成塑料，我们希望在聚合物表面印上反向图案。 通过仔细设计表面结构，预计将产生自清洁和自排空性能 聚合物产品。我们将在钢基上激光加工五种不同的表面结构，这将 随后被用来模塑两种不同的聚合物树脂。我们将评估模具的表面质量和 通过显微镜技术生产聚合物，并进行接触角测量以评估 自清洁行为。因此，该项目将使IPL公司能够做出明智的投资决策 奋进公司用易流动集装箱彻底改变了散装包装市场。除了竞争激烈的 IPL通过这种新技术获得的优势，这种表面的实现将相当大 减少额外的集装箱搬运步骤，浪费集装箱中的剩余产品，从而有助于 更绿色的加拿大。

IPL Inc., founded in 1939 in Québéc, is a leading North American manufacturer of injection-molded plastic products including thin-wall overcaps and containers. Two major markets for IPL are food packaging and organic waste composting containers. Both types of containers are subject to problems related to their contents sticking to the walls, such as food being wasted and bad odors arising due to fouling. With this collaborative project we plan to proof that non-stick, self-emptying containers can be produced through molding the polymer with a laser-micromachined steel mold. Imparting a microstructure through laser-machining onto metals is a well understood method developed in Prof. Kietzig's lab. By using a laser-structured metal mold to form plastics, we expect to imprint the inverse pattern onto the polymer surface. By careful design of the surface structure, self-cleaning and self-emptying properties are expected to result on the polymer product. We will laser machine five different surface structures on steel substrates, which will subsequently be used to mold two different polymer resins. We will assess the surface quality of the mold and the polymer products by microscopy techniques and perform contact angle measurements to assess the self-cleaning behavior. Thus this project will enable IPL Inc to make an informed investment decision for its endeavour to revolutionize the bulk packaging market with easy-flow containers. Aside from the competitive advantage gained by IPL through this novel technique, the implementation of such surfaces will considerably reduce additional container handling steps, wasting remaining product in containers and thus contribute to a greener Canada.