Surface Structuring of Additively Manufactured Articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025162861-A1
Application number	US-202318729066-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2023
Priority date	Jan 25, 2022
Publication date	May 22, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A selected surface of the present disclosure is characterized by a two-tier nanostructure: first-tier nanostructures and second-tier nanostructures disposed on at least a cell wall of the first-tier nanostructures. The first-tier nanostructures define a network of cells, each with a cell wall and a recessed core. The core is predominantly formed of a first phase of an additively formed aluminum alloy, and the cell wall is predominantly formed of a second phase of the same additively formed aluminum alloy. A method of forming the two-tier nanostructure includes preferential etching of the core over the cell wall to form a network of open cells, and a self-limiting formation of the second-tier nanostructure to form a plurality of sub-cavities characterized by nanoscale dimensions smaller than the cell opening of a cell.

First claim

1 . An article, comprising:
a selected surface having: a first plurality of a first-tier nanostructure; and a second plurality of a second-tier nanostructure, wherein the first-tier nanostructure includes:
a cell wall, the cell wall being columnar; and
a core, the core being surrounded by the cell wall and recessed inwardly to define a stepped surface relative to a general plane of the selected surface, the stepped surface and the cell wall defining a cell cavity with a cell opening at the selected surface, the cell opening having a cell diameter,
and wherein the second plurality of a second-tier nanostructure is disposed on at least the cell wall of the first-tier nanostructure, the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure extending into the cell cavity such that the cell cavity includes a plurality of sub-cavities, the plurality of sub-cavities being characterized by nanoscale dimensions smaller than the cell diameter, and wherein the core is predominantly formed of a first phase of an additively formed aluminum alloy, and wherein the cell wall is predominantly formed of a second phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy.

2 . The article according to claim 1 , wherein the cell opening is in fluidic communication with the plurality of sub-cavities.

3 . The article according to claim 2 , wherein the selected surface comprises a network of a plurality of the cell opening, and wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of the cell opening are separated by contiguous ones of a plurality of the cell wall.

4 . The article according to claim 3 , wherein the first phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy is more reactive in an etchant than the second phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy in the etchant.

5 . The article according to claim 1 , wherein the additively formed aluminum alloy is formed from a powder of AlSi10Mg, and wherein the second phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy has a higher silicon content relative to the first phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy, wherein the second-tier nanostructure comprises an oxide of the additively formed aluminum alloy.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The article according to claim 1 , wherein the second-tier nanostructure is composed of boehmite.

8 . The article according to claim 7 , wherein the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure comprises the second phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy, wherein the second-tier nanostructure is monolite with the cell wall of at least one of the first plurality of the first-tier nanostructure.

9 . (canceled)

10 . The article according to claim 7 , wherein the selected surface is characterized by a surface property resulting from a functionalization of at least the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure.

11 . The article according to claim 7 , the article comprising a heat exchanger having: a coolant flow channel; and an external surface of the coolant flow channel, wherein at least a part of the external surface is configured as the selected surface.

12 . A method of making the article of claim 1 , comprising:
etching a selected surface of the article using an etchant to form a first plurality of a first-tier nanostructure, wherein the first-tier nanostructure includes:
a cell wall, the cell wall being columnar; and
a core, the core being surrounded by the cell wall and recessed inwardly to define a stepped surface relative to a general plane of the selected surface, the stepped surface and the cell wall defining a cell cavity with a cell opening at the selected surface, the cell opening having a cell diameter; and
forming a second plurality of a second-tier nanostructure on at least the cell wall of the first-tier nanostructure, the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure extending into the cell cavity such that the cell cavity includes a plurality of sub-cavities, the plurality of sub-cavities being characterized by nanoscale dimensions smaller than the cell diameter, wherein the core is predominantly formed of a first phase of an additively formed aluminum alloy, and wherein the cell wall is predominantly formed of a second phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the etching comprises a preferential etching of the first phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy over the second phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy, wherein the etching comprises a preferential etching of the core over the cell wall, forming a network of a plurality of the cell opening, and wherein adjustment ones of the plurality of the cell opening are separated by contiguous ones of a plurality of the cell wall.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the forming of the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure comprises a self-limiting formation of the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure, wherein the second-tier nanostructure is monolithic with the cell wall of at least one be first plurality of the first-tier nanostructure.

16 . The article according to claim 15 , wherein the second-tier nanostructure is monolithic with the cell wall of at least one of the first plurality of the first-tier nanostructure.

17 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the forming of the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure comprises heat treatment of the selected surface before the etching.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure comprises the second phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy.

19 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the forming of the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure comprises boehmitizing the selected surface after the etching.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the second-tier nanostructure is composed of boehmite.

21 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the additively formed aluminum alloy is formed from a powder of AlSi10Mg, and wherein the second phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy has a higher silicon content relative to the first phase of the additively formed aluminum alloy.

22 . The method according to claim 12 , further comprising functionalizing the selected surface, the selected surface being characterized by a surface property resulting from a functionalization of at least the second plurality of the second-tier nanostructure.

23 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein the functionalizing comprises silanizing the selected surface.

Assignees

• Univ Nanyang Tech
• Univ Illinois

Inventors

• Ho Jin Yao
• Rabbi Kazi Fazle
• Wong Teck Neng
• Leong Kai Choong
• King William P
• Miljkovic Nenad

Classifications

• B82B3/0019

  without movable or flexible elements · CPC title

• B22F2301/052

  Aluminium · CPC title

• B22F2003/244

  Leaching · CPC title

• B22F3/24

  After-treatment of workpieces or articles {(B22F3/1146 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B22F3/1115

  comprising complex forms, e.g. honeycombs · CPC title