Article
Today, several complex process steps are necessary to create plastics parts with functional surfaces. The Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University developed a new process technology that allows the manufacturing of superhydrophobic surfaces directly in one single step. By means of a special variothermal process control in the injection molding process, microstructures are replicated precisely and afterwards stretched out during the demolding process. This leads to the creation of a unique, highly functional hair like surface topography.

Reason
The combination of moulding and surface functionalisation in a process suitable for mass production allows the manufacturing of sophisticated products in a shortened process chain.

Patents/publications
Bekesi, J.; Kaakkunen, J.; Michali, W.; Klaiber, F.; Schöngart, M.; Ihlemann, J.; Simon, P.: Fast Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Surfaces on Polypropylene by Replication of Short-Pulse Laser Strucutred Moulds. Applied Physics A, 2010, S. 691-695

Patents/publications
Contact Person Name: Dipl.-Ing. Maximilian Schöngart
Contact Person Phone: +49 (0) 241 80-96622
Contact Person Email: schoengart@ikv.rwth-aachen.de