Investigations on Transport Phenomena Governing Fabrication of Microstructures via Microcasting of Nanoparticulate Slurry

国家科学基金会提案编号：CTS-0522933主要研究员：Pitchumani，Ranga附属：康涅狄格大学提案标题：通过纳米颗粒浆料的微铸造制造微结构的传输现象调查该提案作为主动提交给化学和传输系统部门，随后被转移到热传输和热处理计划进行审查。本研究的目的是对一种用于制造陶瓷和金属微部件的新型微铸造工艺的传输现象进行基础研究。该工艺基于毛细管驱动微铸造，并将金属或陶瓷纳米颗粒填充的环氧浆料固化到开放式牺牲塑料模具中；随后加热固化的预制件以去除有机相并烧结颗粒陶瓷或金属相。对微通道填充、纳米颗粒在流动过程中的沉降以及纳米颗粒预制棒的烧结过程进行了平衡的计算和实验研究。将开发一种全面的从加工到零件的模拟能力，用于调查支配不同加工步骤的现象的竞争影响，进而得出最佳工艺和材料设计。实验研究将集中在流动、表面能量和动力学参数的基本表征上。此外，在该过程的每一步上进行的实验将用于验证计算模型并演示从建模中确定的处理制度。这项研究将与桑迪亚国家实验室密切合作进行。这项研究将通过吸引和培训一批研究生、本科生和高中生在重要的微系统制造领域产生重大的社会影响，这是一个与技术密切相关的领域。这些学生将通过与桑迪亚研究人员的密切互动，以及通过桑迪亚在项目期间赞助的暑期实习，获得宝贵的经验。来自康涅狄格州曼斯菲尔德的E.O.史密斯高中的学生在夏季几个月参与了研究项目，并计划从科学和工程专业代表性较低的群体中招收学生，这将扩大该项目的社会影响。

ABSTRACTNational Science FoundationProposal Number: CTS-0522933Principal Investigator: Pitchumani, RangaAffiliation: University of ConnecticutProposal Title: Investigation on Transport Phenomena Governing Fabrication of Microstructures via Microcasting of Nanoparticulate SlurryThe proposal was received as an unsolicited submission to the Chemical and Transport Systems Division and was subsequently transferred to the Thermal Transport and Thermal Processing Program for review. The objective of the research is to conduct fundamental investigations on the transport phenomena governing a novel microcasting process for fabrication ceramic and metallic microparts. The process is based on capillary-driven microcasting and curing of metallic or ceramic nanoparticulate-filled epoxy slurry into an open channel sacrificial plastic mold; the cured preform is subsequently heated to remove the organic phase and to sinter the particulate ceramic or metallic phase. A balanced computational and experimental study will be performed on the microchannel filling, nanoparticle settling during flow, and nanoparticulate preform sintering steps. A comprehensive processing-to-part simulation capability will be developed, which will be used to investigate the competing effects of the phenomena governing the different processing steps and, in turn, to derive optimum process and material designs. Experimental studies will focus on fundamental characterization of flow, surface energetic, and kinetic parameters. Further, experiments on each step of the process will serve to validate the computational models and to demonstrate the processing regimes identified from the modeling. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories.The research will have significant societal impact by engaging and training a cadre of graduate students, undergraduate students, and high school students in the important field of microsystems fabrication, an area of much technological relevance. The students will gain valuable experience through close interactions with researchers at Sandia, and through summer internships sponsored by Sandia during the program. The involvement of students from E.O. Smith High School, Mansfield, CT, in the research projects during the summer months, and planned efforts to recruit students from groups underrepresented in science and engineering, will broaden the societal impacts of this program.