Universal Strain Energy-Mediated Dynamic Porosity in Physically Networked Elastomers and Their Applications.

Mechanical and physical properties of porous polymers are highly dependent on the arrangement of their internal pores, which once synthesized are widely considered static. However, here we introduce an unconventional dynamic porosity strategy in physically networked elastomer polymers, irrespective of their chemistry. This strategy allows for an omnidirectional and reversible reconfiguration of porosity in response to applied mechanical deformations, even at ambient conditions.

Interconnect Fabrication by Electroless Plating on 3D-Printed Electroplated Patterns.

The metallic interconnects are essential components of energy devices such as fuel cells and electrolysis cells, batteries, as well as electronics and optoelectronic devices. In recent years, 3D printing processes have offered complementary routes to the conventional photolithography- and vacuum-based processes for interconnect fabrication. Among these methods, the confined electrodeposition (CED) process has enabled a great control over the microstructure of the printed metal, direct printing of high electrical conductivity (close to the bulk values) metals on flexible substrates without a need to sintering, printing alloys with controlled composition, printing functional metals for various applications including magnetic applications, and for in situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) nanomechanical experiments.

Direct-Write Printing Copper-Nickel (Cu/Ni) Alloy with Controlled Composition from a Single Electrolyte Using Co-Electrodeposition.

Although various processes for metal printing at the micro- and mesoscale have been demonstrated, printing functional devices such as thermocouples, thermopiles, and heat flux sensors that function based on interfaces between an alloy and another alloy/metal demands processes for printing alloys. Furthermore, a high-quality and crystalline alloy is required for acceptable function of these devices. This article reports for the first time co-electrodeposition-based printing of single-phase solid solution nanocrystalline copper/nickel (Cu/Ni) alloy with various controllable compositions (Cu100Ni0 to Cu19Ni81) from a single electrolyte.

A Hybrid Process for Printing Pure and High Conductivity Nanocrystalline Copper and Nickel on Flexible Polymeric Substrates.

Printing functional devices on flexible substrates requires printing of high conductivity metallic patterns. To prevent deformation and damage of the polymeric substrate, the processing (printing) and post-processing (annealing) temperature of the metal patterns must be lower than the glass transition temperature of the substrate. Here, a hybrid process including deposition of a sacrificial blanket thin film, followed by room environment nozzle-based electrodeposition, and subsequent etching of the blanket film is demonstrated to print pure and nanocrystalline metallic (Ni and Cu) patterns on flexible substrates (PI and PET).

Additive printing of pure nanocrystalline nickel thin films using room environment electroplating.

Given its high temperature stability, oxidation-, corrosion- and wear-resistance, and ferromagnetic properties, Nickel (Ni) is one of the most technologically important metals. This article reports that pure and nanocrystalline (Ni) films with excellent mechanical and magnetic properties can be additively printed at room environment without any high-temperature post-processing. The printing process is based on a nozzle-based electrochemical deposition from the classical Watt's bath.