Liquidmetal Technologies Inc (LQMT)

[JoTu]

[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic of thermoplastic forming a metallic glass sheet into an article having a textured surface in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, a glass mold includes an upper-half mold 310A and a lower-half mold 310B. A metallic glass sheet 312 is placed between the upper-half mold 310A and lower half-mold 310B to form an article 302, which conforms to the shape of the glass mold. The glass mold has a desired surface texture 304 on its inner surface 308. The article 302 after thermoplastic forming has a surface texture 306 which replicates the surface texture of the glass mold. The surface texture 306 is illustrated in the corresponding exploded view.

[0047] The mold is heated to above the glass transition temperature and pressure applied (arrow 305) to imprint the textured pattern of the glass mold on the softened metallic glass. In some embodiments, the glass mold is heated along with the metallic glass sheet 312 to a temperature above the glass transition temperature, and then placed in the glass mold.

[0048] The glass mold may have portions that include the textured pattern 304 and portions that remain smooth.

[0049] In some embodiments, the upper-half mold 310A has an inner surface that has a portion or the entire inner surface with a texture 304. In some embodiments, the lower-half mold 310B may have an inner surface 309 which may be textured. In some embodiments, the lower-half mold 310B not be textured.