Electrolysis-assisted Micro-electroforming for Fabrication of Micromixer Nickel Metal Mold

DU Liqun; WANG Zhongmin; GUO Bingjiang; LIU Bingnan; SHANG Bingze

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.08.018

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Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (8) : 169-179. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.08.018

Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Equipment

Electrolysis-assisted Micro-electroforming for Fabrication of Micromixer Nickel Metal Mold

DU Liqun^a,b,*, WANG Zhongmin^b, GUO Bingjiang^b, LIU Bingnan^b, SHANG Bingze^b

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Abstract

The work aims to employ micro-electroforming technology to fabricate a micromixer nickel metal mold on a stainless steel substrate, so as meet to the usage requirements for long-term, high-precision operation under high loads. To obtain a metal substrate with high interfacial bonding strength to the nickel electroforming layer, Materials Studio software was used to simulate the work of separation between three types of stainless steel substrates (304, 316, and S136) and the nickel electroforming layer. Additionally, electrolytic etching was employed to enhance the interfacial bonding strength between the nickel electroforming layer and S136 stainless steel, and experiments were conducted to optimize the electrolytic etching parameters. The reliability of molecular dynamics calculations for determining the work of separation was verified using the vertical tensile method. Additionally, the interfacial bonding strength between the nickel electroforming layer and S136 stainless steel was measured under optimal etching and unetched conditions. The results showed that S136 stainless steel had the highest work of separation with the nickel electroforming layer and the highest interfacial bonding strength, making it more suitable as a substrate for the micromixer nickel metal mold. The work of separation between the three types of stainless steel substrates and the nickel electroforming layer obtained through molecular dynamics simulations exhibited the same trend as the actual measured interfacial bonding strength. An etching time of 60 s and an etching voltage of 10 V were found to provide an appropriate etching depth, lateral erosion amount, and increased surface roughness, representing the optimal parameters for improving interfacial bonding strength. After etching, the interfacial bonding strength between the nickel electroforming layer and S136 stainless steel reached 29.56 MPa, an increase of 218% compared with the unetched condition. Based on the simulation and experimental results, a micromixer nickel metal mold that meets the requirements is successfully fabricated, with a core height of 59.3-61.4 μm and a minimum line width of 60.2-61.5 μm.

Key words

interface bonding strength / micro-electroforming / electrolytic etching / micromixer / molecular dynamics

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DU Liqun, WANG Zhongmin, GUO Bingjiang, LIU Bingnan, SHANG Bingze. Electrolysis-assisted Micro-electroforming for Fabrication of Micromixer Nickel Metal Mold[J]. Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering. 2025, 17(8): 169-179 https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.08.018

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