abstract
The present paper reports on the successful fabrication of micro-sized pillar arrays of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST) electroceramics via cost effective epoxy gel casting (EGC) consolidation method based on the in situ polymerization of aqueous suspensions with added water soluble epoxy resin. The synthesized BST solid solution powder was fine milled and surface protected against hydrolysis to avoid its degradation in the aqueous environment. The micro patterning process was divided in the following steps: (i) production of high quality SU-8 master moulds by photolithography and of the respective negative replicas in PDMS (soft mould); (ii) casting of stable high solid loading BST suspensions in the soft moulds with added setting agents followed by de-moulding, drying and sintering. Patterned array of hexagonal shaped pillars with 320 mu m of height and side length similar to 40 mu m were obtained with smooth side wall features along height. Various structural, mechanical and electrical properties of BST material after sintering were also measured to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed aqueous processing route. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
keywords
CERAMIC MICROCOMPONENTS; FABRICATION; LITHOGRAPHY; WETTABILITY; COMPONENTS; SURFACES; DEVICES; POWDER; FORCE; MOLDS
subject category
Materials Science
authors
Olhero, SM; Kaushal, A; Antunes, P; Ferreira, JMF
our authors
Ajay Kaushal
Post-Doc Fellowship
José Maria da Fonte Ferreira
Retired Professor
Susana Maria Henriques Olhero
Assistant ProfessorProjects
Development of microelectromechanical systems by gelcasting - GELMEMS (PTDC/CTM/099489/2008)
acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal (FCT) for the financial support under the project PTDC/CTM/099489/2008, and the post-doc grants of S.M. Olhero SFRH/BPD/87486/2012 and A. Kaushal (SFRH/BPD/77598/2011). The support from CICECO, University of Aveiro, is also acknowledged. The support from Professor Tim Button/University of Birmingham as moulds supplier is also gratefully acknowledged.