Method of making dimensionally stable composite article

A method of making a composite article having large scale predictable dimensional stability, said method comprising:

• a. depositing a layer of a radiation curable composition onto one surface of a metal foil backing comprised of a thin continuous sheet of metal to provide a layer having an exposed surface;
• b. contacting a radiation transmissive master with a preformed surface bearing a pattern capable imparting a three-dimensional microstructure of precisely shaped and located functional discontinuities including distal surface portions and adjacent depressed surface portions into the exposed surface of the layer of radiation curable composition on said metal foil backing under sufficient contact pressure to impart said pattern into said layer wherein said wherein said precisely shaped and located functional discontinuities refers to shapes, capable of forming cooperative mechanical arrangements with other complementarily shaped objects, that are made by predeterminably replicating substantially inverse configurations borne on a master which has been endowed with original, non-random, precise functional shapes which are precisely located relative to each other and excludes shapes that are merely decorative or randomly textured to provide a frictional surface;
• c. while the layer of radiation curable composition is in contact with the patterned surface of the master, exposing said composition to a sufficient level of radiation through the master to cure said composition to provide a cured polymer which adheres to the metal foil backing;
• and
• d. separating the cured polymer layer on the metal foil backing from the surface of the master.

A method of making a composite article having large scale predictable dimensional stability, said method comprising:

• a. depositing a layer of a radiation curable composition onto one surface of a radiation transmissive metal foil backing to provide a layer having an exposed surface;
• b. contacting a master with a preformed surface bearing a pattern capable of imparting a three-dimensional microstructure of precisely shaped and located functional discontinuities including distal surface portions and adjacent depressed surface portions into the exposed surface of the layer of radiation curable composition on said metal foil backing under sufficient contact pressure to impart said pattern into said layer;
• c. while the layer of radiation curable composition is in contact with the patterned surface of the master, exposing said curable composition to a sufficient level of thermal radiation through the metal foil backing to cure said composition to provide a cured polymer which adheres to the metal foil backing;
• and
• d. separating the cured polymer layer on the metal foil backing from the surface of the master.