CAREER: Additive Manufacturing using Electrospray Printing of Nanoparticle Inks

Suny At Binghamton, Binghamton NY

Investigators

Abstract

This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award will enable a novel additive manufacturing methodology for printing thin-films of nanoparticles. In additive manufacturing, objects with complex shapes are built up by depositing materials layer-by-layer. This approach has revolutionized the creation of large three-dimensional prototypes. However, it is not yet feasible to use this technology to print well-ordered layers at fine length scales. The ability to precisely control the position and orientation of the nanoparticles (i.e. the microstructure) within a thin-film is essential since this governs the electrical, mechanical, and optical properties of the film. The next-generation of high-performance devices for use in energy production, health care, and security will require a high-throughput manufacturing methodology that provides fine feature control. This award supports fundamental research on electrospray printing, a process that has the potential to offer precise control over thin-film structure while maintaining high-volume production. With this technique, electric fields are used to control the production of thin functional layers from nanoparticle solutions. This research will contribute to the acceleration of manufacturing innovation in the United States by enabling the creation of high technology jobs in the area of printed functional nanomaterials. Additionally, this effort will train and motivate students of varied levels and backgrounds in additive manufacturing through their engagement in interdisciplinary research and international partnerships. Establishing the processing-structure-property relationships for thin-films of functional materials produced by electrospray printing will enable the process to become a viable manufacturing method. Key findings include identifying how the excess nanoparticle electric charge imparted by electrospray governs the structure of a printed deposit. This new knowledge will facilitate the creation of a novel printing technique incorporating substrate-level Coulombic intervention to control the microstructure at a scale that is yet to be achieved. Coulombic intervention uses a fringing field created in the vicinity of a target substrate to accurately steer and position the charged particles emitted by electrospray. Experimental studies and simulations will be used to establish a comprehensive framework for electrospray printing. Probabilistic modeling will provide critical insight into the evolution of an electrospray printed deposit that is difficult to obtain experimentally. This model will ultimately be used to design the structure of printed deposits for targeted functionality. The influence of substrate topology and material properties on film structure will also be elucidated to advance the versatility of electrospray printing.