University of Wisconsin - Madison Materials Research Science and
Engineering Center Education
and Outreach


Experiment 1 - The "Initial" Stamp

The PDMS stamp can be used to transfer many small complex patterns. This experiment may be used to learn about the general idea of the stamp fabrication process and properties.

Materials

Procedures

Figure 1. Impressing initials into aluminum foil.

Figure 2. Recommended mold for making the "initial" PDMS stamp.

Explorations

The stamp may be inked by an ink pad or even by markers, Figure 3. Try squeezing the stamp during ink transfer to paper and observe what happens to the size and shape of the letters, Figure 4.

Figure 3. Print from "initial" stamp inked with permanent marker. The length of the "J" (the middle letter of DJC) in the printed image is four millimeters.

Figure 4. Compressing the "initial" PDMS stamp (direction of compression indicated by arrows). The length of the "J" in the printed image (the middle letter of DJC) has increased to five millimeters.

Return to the PDMS Main Page

Experiment 2 - A Flexible Diffraction Grating

Experiment 3 - Bouncing PDMS Balls

Experiment 4 - Surface Treatment of PDMS


Exploring the Nanoworld   |   MRSEC Nanostructured Interfaces
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