A drop-on-demand ink-jet printer for combinatorial libraries and functionally graded ceramics.
A printer has been designed and built for the preparation of combinatorial libraries of ceramics and for solid freeforming of functionally graded ceramics with three-dimensionally programmable spatial variation in composition. Several ceramic suspensions (as inks) can be subjected to micromixing behind the nozzle and printed at precise positions. Both mixing and positioning are computer-controlled. The machine consists of an XY table to control the geometry, a set of electromagnetic valves that manage the mixing, a combined electromagnetic valve and sapphire nozzle that form the print head, and a computer that controls the whole system. The mixing valves can eject as little as 1 mg/s ink into the mixing chamber. The printer has been controlled, run, calibrated and tested; the composition and geometry of printed mixtures can be controlled precisely. This method for the controlled mixing of powders facilitates the advance of combinatorial methods within the materials sciences.
Mohebi
Mohammad Masoud
MM
Department of Materials, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK.
Evans
Julian R G
JR