Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has many advantages, but the friction coefficient generated by contact with the counter material is high. The purpose of this study is to reduce the friction coefficient by forming hierarchical micro/nanopatterns on the PDMS surface using the imprinting method. In addition, the optimum conditions for reducing the friction coefficient by controlling the sliding speed and normal load were determined. After contacting flat bare PDMS and hierarchical micro/nanostructured PDMS with a counter tip made of polyurethane (PU), the change in friction with sliding speed and vertical load was evaluated. Under normal load conditions, the average friction coefficient of the bare PDMS decreased as the sliding speed increased, and that of the patterned PDMS slightly increased. Regardless of the sliding speed, the friction coefficient decreased as the normal load increased for both specimens. At a sliding speed of 4 mm/s under a load of 10 mN, the friction reduction effect of the pattern structure was the largest at 79%. Overall, the greatest friction reduction effect (84%) was confirmed in patterned PDMS with the lowest friction coefficient under the conditions of 4 mm/s, 50 mN, compared to bare PDMS with the highest friction coefficient under the conditions of 4 mm/s, 10 mN.
Keywords: PDMS; friction; hierarchical micro/nanopattern; surface structure.