Injection moulding of micropillar arrays: a comparison of poly(methyl methacrylate) and cyclic olefin copolymer

Abstract Injection moulding of micropillar arrays offers a fast and inexpensive method for manufacturing sensors, optics, lab-on-a-chip devices, medical devices. Material choice is important both the function device optimisation. Here, comparative study poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) injection presented. These two polymers are chosen their convenient physical, chemical, optical properties, which favoured microfluidic COC shown to replicate mould’s nano/microstructures more precisely than PMMA. successfully forms array (250 mm diameter; 496 high) closely replicates surfaces with nano-scale roughness (30–120 nm). In same moulds, PMMA lens (not true pillars) smoother due incomplete filling all parameters studied. Thus, finer structural detail devices that require micro nano-structured features, may be suited