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

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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.