Design of advanced materials for the manufacturing of three-dimensional microsystems

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Many of today's high-tech products are approaching their technological limits. For example, the microelectronics community is faced with overheating devices with a demand for compact three-dimensional (3D) architectures and lower power consumption, whereas the aerospace industry is seeking lighter, stiffer and more electrically conductive materials for the creation of more energy efficient aircraft. A promising solution is to capitalize on the amazing electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of some nanoscopic materials (one billionth of a meter). However, several challenges in material processing and manufacturing must be resolved, namely exploiting these properties at the industrial scale and overcoming the current planar configuration with a truly 3D method. The nature of my work is on the development of high-performance materials for the manufacturing of microscopic systems featuring multiple functionalities. On the material side, I will mix the best nanoscopic materials inside two different kinds of plastics (or polymers), one of which is recyclable. The resulting composites will feature highly improved electrical and mechanical properties. On the manufacturing side, I will continue printing complex 3D shapes at the microscopic scale using the materials I develop. This important research provides an original and promising approach to resolve the aforementioned issues, thus making nanotechnologies more accessible to industry, especially in aerospace, microelectronics and biomedicine. The anticipated outcomes are (1) the full development of a 3D freeform printing process compatible with a wide variety of materials and applications, (2) the demonstration of 3D micro-electrodes used for the separation of bioparticles that could potentially separate cancerous and healthy cells and (3) the creation of high-performance and environmentally-friendly materials. These discoveries will benefit numerous academic collaborators for future projects, as well as industrial partners for new and improved products. It will also benefit Canada by training personnel in emerging fields and protecting its environment by fostering the utilization of greener materials and contributing to the greener aircraft initiative.