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US 2021/0197446 A1Published application
Selective deposition of materials for composite structures via additive manufacturing
AssigneeVirginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
InventorsRyan HENSLEIGH, Xiaoyu ZHENG
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Abstract
Described herein are electroless material deposition methods and techniques that can be used to deposit one or more materials on a structure in a selective manner such that deposition can occur in predetermined areas. The methods and techniques of selective electroless material deposition methods described herein can be used to selectively deposit material(s) on 3D printed structures. In some aspects, the 3D structures can contain micro-features that can have one or more materials selectively deposited on their surface in one or more locations.
Claims34
A method of electroless selective material deposition comprising:
- a) forming a multi-material three-dimensional (3D) structure, wherein the multi-material 3D structure is formed with at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of:
- a negatively charged polymer, a positively charged polymer, and a neutral polymer, so as to form at least two differentially charged regions of the multi-material 3D structure selected from the group of:
- a negatively charged region, a positively charged region, and a neutral region;
- b) optionally bringing the multi-material 3D structure to a certain pH to activate or deactivate certain regions to be either neutral, positive, or negatively charged;
- c) optionally exposing the multi-material 3D structure to a deposition catalyst, wherein the deposition catalyst is positively charged or negatively charged,
- wherein a positively charged deposition catalyst associates or attaches to negatively charged region(s), wherein a negatively charged deposition catalyst attaches to positively charged region(s), and wherein substantially no deposition catalyst attaches to neutral region(s) present in the multi-material 3D structure;
- d) exposing the multi-material 3D structure from step c) to a first material to be deposited and allowing autocatalysis, attachment, and/or deposition of the first material on the 3D structure in regions where the deposition catalyst is present or if no catalyst is present to oppositely charged region(s), wherein if the deposition material is positively charged it associates or attaches to the negatively charged region(s), wherein a negatively charged material associates or attaches to positive charged region(s), and wherein substantially no material attaches to neutral region(s) present in the multi-material 3D structure;
- e) optionally treating the multi-material 3D structure after step d) to remove the deposition catalyst present after step c);
- f) optionally treating the multi-material 3D structure after step e) to activate regions with no deposition material to become positive, negative, or neutral wherein if this step does not occur there may still be positive, negative or neutrally charged regions in the multi-material 3D structure;
- g) optionally treating the 3D structure after step f) to coat the previously deposited regions from step d) to become positive, negative or neutral;
- h) optionally repeating step c);
- i) optionally exposing the 3D structure from step h) to a second material to be deposited and allowing autocatalysis, attachment, and/or deposition of the second material on the 3D structure in regions where the deposition catalyst is present or if no catalyst is present to oppositely charged region(s), wherein if the deposition material is positively charged it associates or attaches to the negatively charged region(s), wherein a negatively charged material associates or attaches to positive charged region(s), and wherein substantially no material attaches to neutral region(s) present in the 3D structure;
- j) optionally repeating steps e) through i) to build multiple layers upon previously deposited layers until a desired number of deposited layers is reached;
- and
- k) optionally using direct or contactless electrochemical methods to deposit or remove materials on electrically independent areas.
12 more elements
A method of electroless selective material deposition comprising:
- a) exposing the multi-material 3D structure to a deposition catalyst, wherein the deposition catalyst is positively charged or negatively charged,
- wherein the multi-material 3D structure is formed with at least two polymers selected from the group consisting of:
- a negatively charged polymer, a positively charged polymer, and a neutral polymer, so as to form at least two differentially charged regions of the multi-material 3D structure selected from the group of:
- a negatively charged region, a positively charged region, and a neutral region
- wherein a positively charged deposition catalyst associates or attaches to negatively charged region(s), wherein a negatively charged deposition catalyst attaches to positively charged region(s), and wherein substantially no deposition catalyst attaches to neutral region(s) present in the 3D structure;
- b) exposing the multi-material 3D structure from step a) to a first material to be deposited and allowing autocatalysis, attachment, and/or deposition of the first material on the 3D structure in regions where the deposition catalyst is present
- c) washing the 3D structure after step b) to remove the deposition catalyst present after step c);
- d) optionally repeating step a) wherein the charge of the deposition catalyst is opposite from that of the catalyst used in step b);
- and
- e) optionally exposing the 3D structure from step d) to a second material to be deposited and allowing autocatalysis, attachment, and/or deposition of the second material on the 3D structure in regions where the deposition catalyst is present.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.