High-throughput printing via microvascular multinozzle arrays

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Microfluidics
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• High-throughput printing of functional materials requires precise control over ink delivery.
• Existing microfabrication techniques face challenges in achieving uniform flow in complex channel geometries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate microvascular multinozzle arrays for high-throughput functional material printing.
• To characterize ink-flow uniformity within these advanced microchannel arrays.
• To demonstrate the capability for rapid printing of large-area, multilayered periodic structures.

Main Methods:

• Design and fabrication of microvascular multinozzle arrays with multigeneration, bifurcating microchannels.
• Computer modeling to simulate and analyze ink-flow dynamics.
• Microscopic particle image velocimetry (micro-PIV) for experimental validation of flow uniformity.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of single and dual multinozzle printheads.
• Demonstrated uniform ink flow within the microchannel arrays.
• Capability for rapid printing of multilayered periodic structures over approximately 1 m(2) demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• Microvascular multinozzle arrays are effective for high-throughput printing of functional materials.
• Uniform ink flow is achievable in complex microchannel designs.
• These printheads enable efficient, large-area additive manufacturing of periodic structures.