Use of Colloidal Crystal Templating to Fabricate Ordered Pit Arrays on Aluminum and Aluminum Alloy 3003

Abstract

<p>In a number of industrial processes, metal surfaces are etched to develop topographic patterns consisting of microscopic cavities. Al alloy plates for lithographic printing are etched to create a microscopically roughened surface that optimizes retention of ink and release agent. Fabrication of ordered arrays of micro-porous pits utilizing colloidal crystal templating method in aluminum and aluminum alloy 3003 was developed in this thesis. We choose such a technique, previously developed for aluminum electrolytic capacitors, and adapt it to aluminum alloy 3003 substrates used in the solid-ink lithography. Using electrochemistry and imaging techniques (SEM), we showed that ordered pit arrays with size and spacing of 1 ym to 10 ym could be obtained. The length scale of the pit size and spacing was the same as that of disordered pit patterns obtained by current etching processes, but the pit ordering was dramatically increased.</p>