Fabrication of Ni-Al2O3 composite microcomponent by electroforming

Thick nickel-alumina (Ni-Al"2O"3) composite microcomponents containing dispersed alumina nanoparticles were fabricated by a combination of UV lithography and electroforming, using Shipley BPR100 resist to fabricate the micromoulds. Tests show that the microhardness of composite microcomponents is significantly improved over that of electroformed pure nickel components and that the structures maintain good fidelity. The method has potential for the fabrication of hard wearing microcomponents for micromachines and other applications.