Selective patterning of metallic layers on the 3D printed polymers based on hygroscopic swelling behavior of two different materials

POSTER

Abstract

A novel process to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) metallic patterns from 3D printed polymeric structures was developed by utilizing hygroscopic swelling behavior of two different polymeric materials. The “Swollen-off”, an evolution of the lift-off process commonly used in the micro-fabrication process. The Swollen-off process demonstrated in this research provides a simple way of producing electrical devices on complex 3D surfaces. 3D patterns are printed with two different polymers as cube shape. The substrate, as well as the sacrificial material, were produced using a material jetting printer capable of creating multi-material parts. The surface of the 3D printed polymeric structures is plated with nickel by an electroless plating method. The nickel patterns on the surface of the 3D printed cube shape structure are formed by removing sacrificial layers using the difference in the rate of hygroscopic swelling between two printing polymer materials. The hygroscopic behavior on the interfaced structure was modeled with COMSOL Multiphysics. The surface and electrical properties of the fabricated three-dimensional patterns were analyzed and characterized.

Presenters

  • Daniel Choi

    Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology a Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology

Authors

  • Mariam Mansouri

    Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology a Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology

  • Boo Hyun An

    Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology a Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, a part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology

  • Aaron Berndt

    Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

  • Jong Eun Ryu

    Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

  • Hamda Al Shibli

    Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology a Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, a part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology

  • Tawaddod Alkindi

    Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology a Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, a part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology

  • Daniel Choi

    Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology a Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, A Part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology