CAREER: Charge-Programmed Additive Microfabrication Process for Multi-Materials and Multi-Functionalities

加法制造被广泛用于从数字计算机模型构建由金属、塑料或陶瓷制成的复杂3D对象。然而，目前很难将不同材料组合在3D打印部件中以创建具有多种功能的复杂设备。该学院早期职业发展(Career)奖通过对多材料添加剂制造工艺的开发进行基础研究，支持满足这一需求的研究。这项研究将为支持一种新的制造工艺提供所需的知识，该工艺可以以高精度和高制造速度在紧凑的三维布局中快速形成不同的结构、导电和功能材料。在能源、医疗保健、机器人、电子、航空航天和汽车行业中，由电子和结构材料组合而成的部件在能源、医疗保健、机器人、电子、航空航天和汽车行业的新材料和设备的开发中发挥着重要作用；因此，快速打印这些部件的新制造知识可以催化具有巨大经济效益和社会效益的未来产品的新技术和新能力。这项研究跨越了几个学科，包括制造、材料科学、固体和流体力学以及电动力学。该项目通过为K-12和社区学院的学生和视力障碍学生创建基于3D打印的互动学习活动，扩大了对STEM的参与。它还将开发一门基于添加剂制造的跨学科课程，以培养下一代科学家、工程领导者和企业家，他们将通过先进制造来应对全球挑战。目前旨在创造多功能材料的添加剂制造方法缺乏快速、轻松地在复杂的3D布局中交换、图案和沉积多种材料(包括介电材料、结构材料、导电材料和功能材料)的能力。这种限制源于现有3D打印方法在刀具路径、顺序写入和沉积动力学方面的固有限制。这项研究将提供改善多功能和多材料设备3D打印所需的基础性和变革性知识，方法是创建连续的动态材料切换界面，使用静电电荷控制多种材料，并在不相容流体流动的界面上创建固化区。这项研究将解决与电荷编程添加微加工工艺的机理相关的知识缺口，这些机理支撑着工艺速度、效率、分辨率、特征尺寸以及最终部件的材料特性和结构。这项研究包括分析建模、数值模拟和实验研究，以阐明流体流动、动力学、催化剂和材料性质的影响。这项工作将展示多功能一体化设备的制造，以验证用于新型智能材料、机器人和通信应用的新制造方法。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Additive manufacturing is widely used to construct complex 3D objects made of metal, plastic, or ceramics from a digital computer model. However, it is presently difficult to combine different materials in a 3D-printed part to create a complex device with multiple functionalities. This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award supports research to address this need by conducting fundamental research into the development of a multi-material additive manufacturing process. The research will provide the knowledge needed to support a new manufacturing process that can rapidly pattern different structural, conducting, and functional materials in a compact, three-dimensional layout with high precision and manufacturing speed. Parts made from combinations of electronic and structural materials in a designed layout are instrumental in the development of new materials and devices in the energy, healthcare, robotics, electronics, aerospace, and automotive industries; thus, new manufacturing knowledge to rapidly print these parts can catalyze new technologies and capabilities for future products that have large economic and societal benefits. This research crosses several disciplines, including manufacturing, materials science, solid and fluid mechanics, and electro-kinetics. This project broadens participation in STEM by creating interactive learning activities based on 3D printing for K–12 and community college students and students with vision impairments. It will also develop an interdisciplinary course based on additive manufacturing to train the next generation of scientists, engineering leaders, and entrepreneurs who will address global challenges through advanced manufacturing.Current additive manufacturing methods which aim to create multifunctional materials lack the ability to quickly and easily exchange, pattern, and deposit multiple materials (including dielectric, structural, conducting and functional materials) in a complex 3D layout. This constraint stems from the inherent limitations in toolpaths, sequential writing, and deposition kinetics in existing 3D printing methods. This research will provide the foundational and transformational knowledge needed to improve 3D printing of multifunctional and multi-material devices by creating a continuous dynamic material-switching interface, controlling multiple materials with electrostatic charges, and creating a curing zone at the interface of immiscible fluid flows. The research will address the knowledge gap related to the mechanisms of the charge-programmed additive microfabrication process that underpin process speed, efficiency, resolution, feature sizes, and material properties and structures of the final parts. The research encompasses analytical modeling, numerical simulations, and experimental studies to elucidate the effects of fluid flow, kinetics, catalysts, and material properties. The effort will demonstrate the fabrication of multifunctional all-in-one devices to validate the new manufacturing approach for use in novel smart materials, robotics and communication applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.