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High-Operating-Temperature Direct Ink Writing of Mesoscale Eutectic Architectures
J William Boley1, Kundan Chaudhary1, Thomas J Ober1
1John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|December 16, 2016
Summary
High-temperature direct ink writing creates novel silver chloride-potassium chloride structures. This technique precisely controls feature size for light manipulation across visible and infrared spectrums.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Additive Manufacturing
- Optics
Background:
- Mesoscale architectures are crucial for advanced optical applications.
- Direct ink writing (DIW) offers precise fabrication but is limited by material properties and operating temperatures.
- Eutectic materials present unique challenges and opportunities for additive manufacturing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-operating-temperature direct ink writing (HOT-DIW) method for fabricating mesoscale architectures.
- To utilize a eutectic silver chloride-potassium chloride (AgCl-KCl) ink for novel material deposition.
- To demonstrate control over feature morphology and optical properties through precise printing parameters.
Main Methods:
- Employing high-operating-temperature direct ink writing (HOT-DIW) with molten eutectic AgCl-KCl ink.
- Utilizing a cold substrate to induce directional solidification of the printed molten ink.
- Characterizing the printed mesoscale architectures and their lamellar spacing.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated mesoscale architectures using HOT-DIW of AgCl-KCl.
- Achieved precise control over lamellar spacing, ranging from approximately 100 nm to 2 µm.
- Demonstrated the potential for manipulating light in both visible and infrared ranges due to controlled feature sizes.
Conclusions:
- HOT-DIW is a viable technique for fabricating complex mesoscale architectures from molten salts.
- The ability to tune lamellar spacing allows for tailored optical properties.
- This method opens new avenues for creating advanced optical materials and devices.
