title: Manufacturing of three-dimensionally microstructured nanocomposites through microfluidic infiltration.
abstract: Microstructured composite beams reinforced with complex three-dimensionally (3D) patterned nanocomposite microfilaments are fabricated via nanocomposite inﬁltration of 3D interconnected microfluidic networks. The manufacturing of the reinforced beams begins with the fabrication of microfluidic networks, which involves layer-by-layer deposition of fugitive ink filaments using a dispensing robot, filling the empty space between filaments using a low viscosity resin, curing the resin and finally removing the ink. Self-supported 3D structures with other geometries and many layers (e.g. a few hundreds layers) could be built using this method. The resulting tubular microﬂuidic networks are then infiltrated with thermosetting nanocomposite suspensions containing nanofillers (e.g. single-walled carbon nanotubes), and subsequently cured. The infiltration is done by applying a pressure gradient between two ends of the empty network (either by applying a vacuum or vacuum-assisted microinjection). Prior to the infiltration, the nanocomposite suspensions are prepared by dispersing nanofillers into polymer matrices using ultrasonication and three-roll mixing methods. The nanocomposites (i.e. materials infiltrated) are then solidified under UV exposure/heat cure, resulting in a 3D-reinforced composite structure. The technique presented here enables the design of functional nanocomposite macroscopic products for microengineering applications such as actuators and sensors.
authors.affiliation: Center for Applied Research on Polymers and Composites (CREPEC), Mechanical Engineering Department, École Polytechnique de Montréal.
authors.forename: Rouhollah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dermanaki-Farahani
authors.affiliation: Center for Applied Research on Polymers and Composites (CREPEC), Mechanical Engineering Department, École Polytechnique de Montréal.
authors.forename: Louis Laberge
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lebel
authors.affiliation: Center for Applied Research on Polymers and Composites (CREPEC), Mechanical Engineering Department, École Polytechnique de Montréal; daniel.therriault@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Therriault
mesh_terms: D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*