A comparison of reflectance properties on polymer micro-structured functional surface

In this study, a functional micro-structure surface [1] has been developed as a combination of arrays of micro ridges. The scope of the surface is to achieve specific directional optical properties: that is, under constrained lighting, maximizing the reflectance from a certain viewing direction, and minimizing it from the corresponding horizontally orthogonal position, i.e. maximize the contrast between two horizontally orthogonal view positions at the same inclination (Figure 1).

The sample is composed of 12 different anisotropic surfaces, that are designed as a combination of ridges defined by their pitch distance and their angle in respect to the surface (Figure 2). The geometry was obtained by precision milling of a tool steel bar and replicated through silicone replica technology [2], and by hot embossing using Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS).

A digital microscope has been used as a gonioreflectometer to determine the directional surface reflectance of each surface to varying light and camera positions. The presented results show that the replication processes and the polymeric material have a strong impact on the contrast under constrained lightening.

More specifically, the reflectance properties are strongly influenced by the geometry of the structure and by the colour.