Abstract
This paper presents a new micro additive manufacturing process and initial characterization of its capabilities. The process uses modulated electric fields to manipulate and deposit particles from colloidal solution in a contactless way and is named electrophoretically-guided micro additive manufacturing (EPμAM). The inherent flexibility and reconfigurability of the EPμAM process stems from electrode array as an actuator use, which avoids common issues of controlling particle deposition with templates or masks (e.g., fixed template geometry, post-process removal of masks, and unstable particle trapping). The EPμAM hardware testbed is presented alongside with implemented control methodology and developed process characterization workflow. Additionally, a streamlined two-dimensional (2D) finite element model (FEM) of the EPμAM process is used to compute electric field distribution generated by the electrode array and to predict the final deposition location of particles. Simple particle manipulation experiments indicate proof-of-principle capabilities of the process. Experiments where particle concentration and electric current strength were varied demonstrate the stability of the process. Advanced manipulation experiments demonstrate interelectrode deposition and particle group shaping capabilities where high, length-to-width, aspect ratio deposits were obtained. The experimental and FEM results were compared and analyzed; observed process limitations are discussed and followed by a comprehensive list of possible future steps.
Highlights
The ability to move, order and deposit particles from colloidal solutions via modulated electric fields constitutes an essential technological platform for the development of new nanomaterials, functional surfaces, and enables studies of phase transitions via colloidal mockup models and characterizations of biological and nonbiological particulates
Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using the EPμAM process to manipulate and deposit particle groups from colloidal solutions
The 21% increase is mostly due to the location of two large and high particle group deposits that are located in the whole sample area but outside the region of interest (ROI) area
Summary
The ability to move, order and deposit particles from colloidal solutions via modulated electric fields constitutes an essential technological platform for the development of new nanomaterials, functional surfaces, and enables studies of phase transitions via colloidal mockup models and characterizations of biological and nonbiological particulates. The tunability of the colloidal system, based on the adjustment of particle volume fraction and the amplitude of the applied electric field, demonstrated the capability of the system to exhibit the complex, reversible phenomena and proved to be instrumental in discovering new phase transitions for colloidal crystals This colloidal tunability via electric fields could be employed to minimize, or completely fix, the internal defects in the colloid structure; it required in-depth knowledge of particle-field interactions during the self-assembly processes. The author suggested building a rule-based model for the system in question and, attempting to infer physics of emergent material properties by comparing the a priori model output data with the experimental findings This approach seems promising, especially for the study and characterization of colloidal particle systems and their responses to the applied external forces, notwithstanding the analogy with the animal group behavior
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