Abstract
In order to clarify the optimum condition for making snow crystal replica by embedding method with light-curing resin (LCR0208), effects of the visual-light intensity and the atmospheric temperature on the curing reaction were examined. Further, the replication accuracy of the replica was investigated. We found that the maximun temperature rise of the resin accompanying the resin curing was less than 2℃ and the time for the curing was less than 10 min when the atmospheric temperature was lower than 0℃ and the light intensity ranged from 2000 to 8000 lux. This result suggests that the melting of the snow crystal does not occur in the replication process provided the atmospheric temperature is lower than −2℃. On the replication accuracy, we found that the replica shrank by 2% linearly and incomplete filling of the resin occured at the bottom of fine grooves. The amount of the incomplete filling of the resin was small enough to not affect for measured profile of the replica by a laser microscope used in this study. Therefore, we found that the original surface structure of snow crystals could be estimated using the replica described above by considering cure shrinkage of LCR0208, which is +2% in length for three directions.
