Electroform, methods of making electroforms, and products made from electroforms

Abstract

In one embodiment, the method for making an electroform comprises: attaching a sub-master to a first side of a stiffener plate to form a mounted sub-master, wherein the stiffener plate is longer and/or wider than the sub-master such that, when the sub-master is attached to the stiffener plate, the stiffener plate forms a boarder around the sub-master, disposing conductive rim on the stiffener plate in physical contact with the boarder and with the edges of the sub-master, masking edges and a second side of the stiffener plate, passivating the surface to form a passivation layer, plating the surface and non-masked areas of the conductive rim with a metal to form a metal layer, and removing the metal layer to form the electroform.

1 . A method for making an electroform, comprising: 
 attaching a sub-master to a first side of a stiffener plate to form a mounted sub-master, wherein the sub-master is attached on a side of the sub-master opposite a surface comprising features to be replicated, and wherein the stiffener plate is longer and/or wider than the sub-master such that, when the sub-master is attached to the stiffener plate, the stiffener plate forms a boarder around the sub-master;    disposing conductive rim on the stiffener plate in physical contact with the boarder and with the edges of the sub-master;    masking edges and a second side of the stiffener plate;    masking any exposed areas of the conductive rim that are not to be plated;    disposing a conductive material in physical contact with the stiffener plate and at least one of the sub-master and the conductive rim;    passivating the surface to form a passivation layer;    plating the surface and non-masked areas of the conductive rim with a metal to form a metal layer; and    removing the metal layer to form the electroform.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a vacuum to remove air voids from between the sub-master and stiffener plate.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising disposing the mounted sub-master in a vacuum bag and then applying the vacuum.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein attaching a sub-master to a first side of a stiffener plate further comprises attaching pressure sensitive, double-faced tape to the stiffener plate, attaching the side of the sub-master to the tape.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein disposing a conductive material in physical contact with both the sub-master and the stiffener plate further comprises cutting through the polyester tape to form a connection area; disposing a conductive adhesive in the connection area, disposing a metal in the connection area.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising disposing a conductive sealer around the metal.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the metal is a metal tape comprising a conductive adhesive.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, stainless steel, copper, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metal comprises copper.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, stainless steel, copper, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the metal comprises copper.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing an electrically nonconductive frame around a periphery of the mounted sub-master, and sealing the mounted sub-master to the frame with an electrically nonconductive sealant.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffener plate is masked with polyester tape.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffener plate is masked with a tape comprising a silicone adhesive.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a conductive material at the intersection of the conductive rim and the sub-master.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein attaching the sub-master to the first side of the stiffener plate comprises magnetically mounting the sub-master to the stiffener plate.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the stiffener plate comprises magnets.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a first side of the stiffener plate comprises magnetic sheeting.  
     
     
         19 . An electroform produced by the method of  claim 1 , wherein the electroform comprises microstructures having nanoscale resolution.  
     
     
         20 . A film formed from the electroform of  claim 19 , wherein the film has the microstructures with nanoscale resolution.  
     
     
         21 . A light management article comprising the film of  claim 20 .  
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 21 , wherein the article is a backlight computer display.  
     
     
         23 . A method for making an electroform, comprising: 
 attaching a sub-master to a first side of a stiffener plate to form a mounted sub-master, wherein the sub-master is attached on a side of the sub-master opposite a surface comprising features to be replicated, and wherein the stiffener plate is longer and/or wider than the sub-master such that, when the sub-master is attached to the stiffener plate, the stiffener plate forms a boarder around the sub-master;    disposing conductive rim on the stiffener plate in physical contact with the boarder and with the edges of the sub-master;    masking edges and a second side of the stiffener plate with polyester tape;    masking any exposed areas of the conductive rim that are not to be plated;    disposing a conductive material in physical contact with the stiffener plate and at least one of the sub-master and the conductive rim;    passivating a sub-master to form a passivation layer, wherein passivating comprises contacting at least a surface of the sub-master to be passivated with a solution comprising an oxidizing agent, and applying an anodic current to the sub-master at a current density of about 1 ASF to about 40 ASF;    plating the surface and non-masked areas of the conductive rim with a metal to form a metal layer; and    removing the metal layer to form the electroform.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the sub-master comprises nickel.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the sub-master further comprises cobalt.  
     
     
         26 . An electroform produced by the method of  claim 23 , wherein the electroform comprises microstructures having nanoscale resolution.  
     
     
         27 . A film formed from the electroform of  claim 16 .  
     
     
         28 . A light management article comprising the film of  claim 27 .  
     
     
         29 . The article of  claim 28 , wherein the article is a backlight computer display.