Micro-truss based composite friction-and-wear apparatus and methods of manufacturing the same

A micro-truss based composite friction-and-wear apparatus that is a heat pipe for transferring heat and supporting a filler material comprising:

• the filler material;
• and
• a three-dimensional ordered microstructure comprising:
• a plurality of first truss elements defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction;
• a plurality of second truss elements defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction;
• and
• a plurality of third truss elements defined by a plurality of third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction;
• wherein the first, second, and third ordered truss elements are coupled at a plurality of nodes unperturbed by changes in index of refraction caused by photopolymerization of the first, second and third self-propagating polymer waveguides and defined by waveguide intersections of the first, second and third self-propagating polymer waveguides;
• wherein the first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at the plurality of nodes to form a continuous material;
• wherein the first, second, and third truss elements define an open space;
• wherein the filler material occupies at least a portion of the open space;
• wherein the three-dimensional ordered microstructure is self-supporting.

A method of forming a micro-truss based composite friction-and-wear apparatus that is a clutch, a brake rotor, or a brake pad, the method comprising:

• securing a volume of a photo-monomer;
• securing a mask between at least one collimated light source and the volume of the photo-monomer, the mask having a plurality of apertures;
• directing a collimated light beam from the at least one collimated light source to the mask for a period of exposure time such that a portion of the collimated light beam passes through the mask and is guided by the plurality of apertures into the photo-monomer to form a plurality of waveguides through a portion of the volume of the photo-monomer;
• removing any uncured photo-monomer to leave behind an open-cellular polymer micro-truss structure having a plurality of truss elements defined by the plurality of waveguides;
• forming a three-dimensional ordered microstructure defined by the open-cellular polymer micro-truss structure;
• placing a filler material at an open space of the three-dimensional ordered microstructure.

A micro-truss based composite friction-and-wear apparatus that is a clutch, a brake rotor, or a brake pad comprising:

• a filler material;
• and a three-dimensional ordered microstructure comprising:
• a plurality of first truss elements defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction;
• a plurality of second truss elements defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction;
• and
• a plurality of third truss elements defined by a plurality of third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction;
• wherein the first, second, and third ordered truss elements are coupled at a plurality of nodes unperturbed by changes in index of refraction caused by photopolymerization of the first, second and third self-propagating polymer waveguides and defined by waveguide intersections of the first, second and third self-propagating polymer waveguides;
• wherein the first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at the plurality of nodes to form a continuous material;
• wherein the first, second, and third truss elements define an open space;
• wherein the filler material occupies at least a portion of the open space;
• wherein the three-dimensional ordered microstructure is self-supporting;
• and
• wherein the filler material comprises a carbon filler material or a metallic filler material.