Methods for forming flow channels in metal inverse opal structures
AssigneesToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsShailesh N. Joshi, Paul Braun, Julia Kohanek, Gaurav Singhal
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Abstract
A method for forming a flow channel in a MIO structure includes positioning a plurality of sacrificial spheres along a base substrate, heating a region of the plurality of sacrificial spheres above a melting point of the plurality of sacrificial spheres, thereby fusing the plurality of sacrificial spheres together and forming a solid channel, electrodepositing material between the plurality of sacrificial spheres and around the solid channel, removing the plurality of sacrificial spheres to form the MIO structure, and removing the solid channel to form the flow channel extending through the MIO structure.
Claims19
A method for forming a flow channel in a MIO structure, the method comprising:
- positioning a plurality of sacrificial spheres along a base substrate;
- heating a region of the plurality of sacrificial spheres above a melting point of the plurality of sacrificial spheres, thereby fusing the plurality of sacrificial spheres together and forming a solid channel, wherein heating the region of the plurality of sacrificial spheres comprises directing electromagnetic energy onto the region of the plurality of sacrificial spheres with an electromagnetic energy source;
- electrodepositing material between the plurality of sacrificial spheres and around the solid channel;
- removing the plurality of sacrificial spheres to form the MIO structure;
- and
- removing the solid channel to form the flow channel extending through the MIO structure.
A method for forming a flow channel in a MIO structure, the method comprising:
- positioning a plurality of sacrificial spheres along a base substrate;
- positioning a solid channel between spheres of the plurality of sacrificial spheres, at least some of the plurality of sacrificial spheres positioned between the solid channel and the base substrate;
- electrodepositing a material between the plurality of sacrificial spheres and around the solid channel;
- removing the plurality of sacrificial spheres to form the MIO structure;
- and
- removing the solid channel to form the flow channel extending through the MIO structure, wherein at least a portion of the MIO structure is positioned between the flow channel and the base substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.