Monolithic and composite Ni/Al2O3 stencil masks were produced using an electroforming process and photolithography technology and evaluated the effect of co-deposited Al2O3 content on microstructure, texture, surface roughness, and mechanical properties. For the composites, α-Al2O3 powders with a particle size of 300 nm were added to the electrolyte, and the content of co-deposited Al2O3 in the specimen increased as its concentration in solution increased. For all samples, the Ni phase was crystallized and the Ni (002) planes formed parallel to the surface. On the other hand, the (200) texture became weaker with increasing Al2O3 content. Mechanical properties improved with increasing Al2O3 content. Specifically, the 30.35 vol% co-deposited composite exhibited a higher hardness (394 Hv) and lower volume loss (0.321 mm3) than the pure Ni mask (231 Hv and 2.106 mm3). These improvements may be due to the strengthening mechanisms such as the dispersion hardening and formation of hard contact points of Al2O3 in the Ni matrix for the counterpart during sliding.

Keywords: Electroforming, Hardness, Ni-Al2O3 composite, Stencil mask, Wear properties