Systems, devices, and methods for direct-write printing of elongated nanostructures
OwnerCrystal Elaine Owens, Gareth H. McKinley +1inventors
InventorsCrystal Elaine Owens, Gareth H. McKinley, Anastasios John Hart
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to tailoring the structure of freeform nanotube macrostructures through extrusion-based additive manufacturing for fabrication of planar and three-dimensional features and objects. Ink containing nanomaterials can be extruded into a fluid to precipitate into a fiber that can be used to form solid structures. The fluid can include a coagulant that promotes rapid solidification in the precipitation of fibers. The fluid can be disposed into a bath that is in fluid communication with the extruded ink. Systems and devices for executing such processes, are also provided.
Claims32
A method of extruding inks that comprise suspensions of at least one of elongated nano-particles or elongated micro-particles, comprising:
- extruding an ink through a nozzle of a printing device into a fluid and onto at least one of a substrate, an object disposed on the substrate, or previously extruded ink, the ink comprising a mixture of at least one of nano-particles or micro-particles and a liquid, and the fluid comprising one or more materials;
- and
- moving the nozzle in one or more degrees of freedom with respect to the substrate while extruding the ink into the fluid,
- wherein the ink coagulates after it contacts the fluid such that the ink forms a solid precipitate.
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A method of extruding inks that comprise suspensions of at least one of elongated nano-particles or elongated micro-particles, comprising:
- extruding an ink through a nozzle of a printing device into a fluid bath, the ink comprising at least one of nano-particles or micro-particles and a liquid, and the fluid bath having a coagulant disposed therein to solidify the ink to form an object,
- moving the nozzle relative to the fluid bath to define a form of the object;
- and
- adjusting one or more of a velocity of the extruded ink through the nozzle or a velocity of the nozzle relative to the fluid bath.
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A printing system, comprising:
- an extruder having one or more nozzles, the extruder being configured to dispense a liquid ink out of the one or more nozzles, the ink comprising a mixture of at least one of nano-particles or micro-particles and a solvent;
- and
- a bath defining a volume in which a fluid is configured to be disposed therein, the bath being in fluid communication with the extruder such that the bath is configured to receive the liquid ink.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.