3-D printed hydrophobic metallic nanocomposites
AssigneeThe Government of the Unites States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsTroy Youngmin Ansell, Andy Nieto, Justin Budan
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Abstract
This disclosure, and the exemplary embodiments provided herein, disclose carbon nanotubes (CNT) integrated into 316L stainless steel (SS) powder feedstocks and 3D-printed using selective laser melting (SLM). Ball milling is used to disperse CNT clusters homogeneously onto the surface of 316L SS powders with minimal damage to the CNTs. Hardness increased by 35% and wear was reduced by 70% with the addition of 2 vol % CNT, relative to SLM 316L SS. The addition of CNTs increased the water contact angle and retained the desirable corrosion resistance of SLM 316L SS, demonstrating the potential of 3D-printed SS-CNT composites for use in structural marine applications.
Claims11
A 3D printed hydrophobic metallic component comprising:
- multiple metallic layers deposited successively, wherein each metallic layer comprises a metallic surface and multiple asperities;
- the multiple asperities comprising arrays of micropillars configured to create an air barrier between the metallic surface and a water droplet, wherein the air barrier induces a Cassie-Baxter state and hydrophobic effect;
- the multiple asperities formed by a method comprising,
- providing a composite powder, the composite powder generated by mixing a metal powder with a nanotube material in a high energy ball mill, and
- melting, by selective laser melting, the composite powder to form a melt pool, wherein the melt pool disseminates the nanotube material, wherein the dispersed nanotube materials form arrays of micropillars;
- purging, by an argon gas, the environment around the melt pool;
- and
- cooling, by the argon gas, the melt pool.
A 3D-printed stainless steel composite structure comprising:
- multiple metallic layers deposited successively, wherein each metallic layer comprises a stainless steel surface and multiple asperities;
- the multiple asperities comprising arrays of carbon nanotube (CNT) micropillars configured to create an air barrier between the stainless steel surface and a water droplet, wherein the air barrier induces a Cassie-Baxter state and hydrophobic effect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.