Microchannels Formed Using Metal Microdroplets
The metal microdroplet deposition manufacturing technique has gained extensive attention due to its potential applications in microstructure fabrication. In order to fabricate components such as microchannel heat sinks and microchannel reactors, this paper investigates the interactions and influence...
| Published in: | Micromachines |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/10/1922 |
| _version_ | 1850412784363241472 |
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| author | Daicong Zhang Chunhui Jing Wei Guo Yuan Xiao Jun Luo Lehua Qi |
| author_facet | Daicong Zhang Chunhui Jing Wei Guo Yuan Xiao Jun Luo Lehua Qi |
| author_sort | Daicong Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| container_title | Micromachines |
| description | The metal microdroplet deposition manufacturing technique has gained extensive attention due to its potential applications in microstructure fabrication. In order to fabricate components such as microchannel heat sinks and microchannel reactors, this paper investigates the interactions and influences between microdroplets and substrates, as well as between microdroplets themselves. The transient phenomena during the fusion of metal microdroplets in contact with the substrate and the formation of inclined columns, as well as the solid–liquid coupling and morphology formation processes during the collision between microdroplets, are analyzed. The influence of microdroplet spacing on the morphology of microchannels during their formation is specifically studied. A three-dimensional finite element numerical model for the deposition of metal microdroplets forming inclined pillars is established based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The model treats the protective gas around the microdroplet as an empty zone and the microdroplet as a single-phase fluid. Simulation analysis is conducted to investigate the forming patterns of unsupported microdroplets at different spacing and their impact on the fusion morphology of microchannel components. Building upon this, a series of validation experiments are conducted using a piezoelectric microdroplet generator to produce uniform aluminum alloy microdroplets with a diameter of approximately 600 μm. A method for fabricating metal microchannel structures is obtained, which is expected to be applied in fields such as scattering structures for high-power electronic devices and microreactors in microchemical fields. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0fe912bb6db44e4ea2d48e55aeae720c |
| institution | Directory of Open Access Journals |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| spelling | doaj-art-0fe912bb6db44e4ea2d48e55aeae720c2025-08-19T22:46:07ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2023-10-011410192210.3390/mi14101922Microchannels Formed Using Metal MicrodropletsDaicong Zhang0Chunhui Jing1Wei Guo2Yuan Xiao3Jun Luo4Lehua Qi5School of Mechanical & Electronic Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, ChinaSchool of Mechanical & Electronic Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, ChinaSchool of Mechanical & Electronic Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, ChinaSchool of Mechanical & Electronic Engineering, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710048, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, ChinaThe metal microdroplet deposition manufacturing technique has gained extensive attention due to its potential applications in microstructure fabrication. In order to fabricate components such as microchannel heat sinks and microchannel reactors, this paper investigates the interactions and influences between microdroplets and substrates, as well as between microdroplets themselves. The transient phenomena during the fusion of metal microdroplets in contact with the substrate and the formation of inclined columns, as well as the solid–liquid coupling and morphology formation processes during the collision between microdroplets, are analyzed. The influence of microdroplet spacing on the morphology of microchannels during their formation is specifically studied. A three-dimensional finite element numerical model for the deposition of metal microdroplets forming inclined pillars is established based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The model treats the protective gas around the microdroplet as an empty zone and the microdroplet as a single-phase fluid. Simulation analysis is conducted to investigate the forming patterns of unsupported microdroplets at different spacing and their impact on the fusion morphology of microchannel components. Building upon this, a series of validation experiments are conducted using a piezoelectric microdroplet generator to produce uniform aluminum alloy microdroplets with a diameter of approximately 600 μm. A method for fabricating metal microchannel structures is obtained, which is expected to be applied in fields such as scattering structures for high-power electronic devices and microreactors in microchemical fields.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/10/1922microstructure productionVOF methodmicrochannel parts metalmicrodroplet deposition |
| spellingShingle | Daicong Zhang Chunhui Jing Wei Guo Yuan Xiao Jun Luo Lehua Qi Microchannels Formed Using Metal Microdroplets microstructure production VOF method microchannel parts metal microdroplet deposition |
| title | Microchannels Formed Using Metal Microdroplets |
| title_full | Microchannels Formed Using Metal Microdroplets |
| title_fullStr | Microchannels Formed Using Metal Microdroplets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microchannels Formed Using Metal Microdroplets |
| title_short | Microchannels Formed Using Metal Microdroplets |
| title_sort | microchannels formed using metal microdroplets |
| topic | microstructure production VOF method microchannel parts metal microdroplet deposition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/10/1922 |
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