Electrochemical 3D printing of Ni–Mn and Ni–Co alloy with FluidFM

Abstract

Additive manufacturing can realize almost any designed geometry, enabling the fabrication of innovative products for advanced applications. Local electrochemical plating is a powerful approach for additive manufacturing of metal microstructures; however, previously reported data have been mostly obtained with copper, and only a few cases have been reported with other elements. In this study, we assessed the ability of fluidic force microscopy to produce Ni–Mn and Ni–Co alloy structures. Once the optimal deposition potential window was determined, pillars with relatively smooth surfaces were obtained. The printing process was characterized by printing rates in the range of 50–60 nm s−1. Cross-sections exposed by focused ion beam showed highly dense microstructures, while the corresponding face scan with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy spectra revealed a uniform distribution of alloy components.