Vaithilingam, J, Saleh, E, Körner, L et al. (4 more authors) (2018) 3-Dimensional inkjet printing of macro structures from silver nanoparticles. Materials & Design, 139. pp. 81-88. ISSN 0264-1275
Abstract
The adoption of additive manufacturing technology is gaining interest for processing precious metals. In this study, the capability of inkjet printing was explored to fabricate macroscopic parts from commercial silver nanoparticle ink (AgNPs). A bespoke JETx® three dimensional (3D) inkjet printing machine was used to print and subsequently sinter up to 1000 layers of AgNPs using an infrared source. Examination of the sample using X-ray computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy revealed the existence of both micro- and nano-scale pores within the structure. Pinning effect, residual surface temperature, insufficient droplet overlap and surface defects were the key factors contributing to the voids. Elemental mapping confirmed the structure to be composed of 87% of silver along with carbon and oxygen. The 750 dpi sample showed a 25% reduction in nanopores and 77% lower micro-pores compared to the 600 dpi sample. In terms of hardness, the 750 dpi sample was 29% harder than the 600 dpi sample, showcasing samples with higher print resolution can contribute towards less voids and improved mechanical properties. Thus by demonstrating the possibility to fabricate dense parts from AgNPs using inkjet technology, this study opens a novel route for processing nano-scale particulates and precious metals in 3D.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Keywords: | Additive manufacturing; 3D–printing; Silver nanoparticles; Inkjet printing; Precious metals; |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Mechanical Engineering (Leeds) > Future Manufacturing Processes (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 26 Feb 2019 14:10 |
Last Modified: | 26 Feb 2019 14:10 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.matdes.2017.10.070 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:142955 |