Abstract: A method includes functionalizing edges of particles of an anisotropic material, exfoliating of the particles to form sheets of the material, aligning the sheets of material to form a network of multi-layered and aligned particles, and forming a structure out of the network of particles. A method includes functionalizing edges of particles of an anisotropic material, exfoliating the particles to form sheets of the material, aligning the sheets of material to form a network of multi-layered and aligned particles, and forming a structure out of the network of particles.

Abstract: A mixing system has a parallel droplet dispenser capable of making droplets of a first working material in the range of 10 nanometers to 10 micrometers, a pump to deliver fluid for the droplets of the first working material and to produce a first emulsion, a compact mixer having low inter-voxel mixing to receive the emulsion and produce a homogenous material, and a dispensing system. A method of dispensing a graded material includes generating droplets of a first working material, the droplets having a size in the range of 10 nanometers to 10 micrometers, adding the droplets of the first working material into a fluid to create a first emulsion, wherein addition of the droplets of the first working material is controlled to create gradient in the emulsion, mixing the first emulsion to create a homogenous, graded mixture, and dispensing the homogenous, graded mixture onto a surface.

Abstract: A system to fabricate hierarchical graded materials includes a reservoir to contain a material to be deposited, a print head connected to the reservoir to allow the print head to receive the material to be deposited, the print head having a mixing section, and an actuator connected to the print head, the actuator configured to actuate the print head in six axes of motion.

Abstract: A method of forming a flexible thermal regulation device having multiple functional layers. The layers of the device are formed using various manufacturing techniques and are then integrated to form a sheet having multiple devices disposed thereon. The individual devices are then formed from the sheet.

Abstract: A system to fabricate hierarchical graded materials includes a reservoir to contain a material to be deposited, a print head connected to the reservoir to allow the print head to receive the material to be deposited, the print head having a mixing section, and an actuator connected to the print head, the actuator configured to actuate the print head in six axes of motion.

Abstract: The disclosed spray deposition systems and methods use spray charging and discharging techniques to assist with digital deposition of spray droplets on a substrate. For example, the disclosed systems and methods have a charging system that generates spray droplets from a spray generator and charges the droplets. Focusing electrodes help to collimate the droplets into a tight droplet stream and, optionally, steering electrodes help direct the tight droplet stream. A charge removal system neutralizes or removes the charge from the droplets, either during the deposition of the droplets on a substrate or after the droplets have been deposited on a substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a flexible thermal regulation device having multiple functional layers. The layers of the device are formed using various manufacturing techniques and are then integrated to form a sheet having multiple devices disposed thereon. The individual devices are then formed from the sheet.

Abstract: A system to fabricate hierarchical graded materials includes a reservoir to contain a material to be deposited, a print head connected to the reservoir to allow the print head to receive the material to be deposited, the print head having a mixing section, and an actuator connected to the print head, the actuator configured to actuate the print head in six axes of motion.

Abstract: A method to fabricate hierarchical graded materials includes providing a reservoir of functionalized particles, mixing at least some of the functionalized particles using a mixer in the print head having a mixed fluid volume control on an order of a voxel to produce mixed functionalized particles, and actuating a print head to deposit the mixed functionalized particles on a substrate.

Abstract: A coating mechanism disposes a liquid (e.g., polymer) thin film onto a conveyor surface (e.g., roller or belt) that is moved by a suitable motor to convey the thin film into a precisely controlled gap (or nip) region where applied potentials generate an electric field that causes the liquid to undergo Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) patterning deformation, whereby the liquid forms patterned micro-scale features. A curing mechanism (e.g., a UV laser) is used to solidify (e.g., cross-link) the patterned liquid features inside or immediately after exiting the gap region, thereby forming micro-scale patterned structures that are either connected by an intervening web as part of a sheet, or separated into discrete micro-scale structures. Nanostructures (e.g., nanotubes or nanowires) disposed in the liquid become vertically oriented during the EHD patterning process. Segmented electrodes and patterned charges are utilized to provide digital patterning control.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for creating a structure including a vasculature network. A film deposition device is configured to dispense droplets onto a surface of a substrate to form a curable fugitive pre-patterned liquid film on the surface of the substrate. An electrohydrodynamic film patterning (EHD-FP) device has a patterned electrode structure formed to generate an electric field and to subject the film on the surface of the substrate to the electric field. The film thereby being formed by the EHD-FP into patterned features in response to being subjected to the electric field. Then a casting system is configured to cover the patterned features in an epoxy to form patterned structures, wherein the patterned structures comprise a fugitive vasculature structure.

Abstract: Polymer spray deposition systems and methods are disclosed that can be used with a wide range of thermoplastic materials to produce high resolution objects having the complexity and structural integrity typically only achieved using more traditional manufacturing techniques, like injection molding processes. The polymeric spray deposition systems and methods use a spray generator that stretches the fluid between two diverging surfaces, such as two rollers or between two pistons. The stretched fluid breaks apart into a plurality of droplets and is guided through a delivery system, that can include an optional droplet size selector, and into a multi-nozzle array. The multi-nozzle array is controlled and directs the spray onto a target surface, thereby creating a three-dimensional object. The disclosed polymer spray deposition systems and methods can be used in three-dimensional print heads and printing techniques.

Abstract: A particle removal device for an ink jet printer is discussed. The particle removal device includes a first separator comprising an arrangement of obstacles including at least two rows of obstacles that extend laterally with respect to a flow path of ink in the first separator. The rows of obstacles are offset from one another by a row offset fraction. The arrangement of obstacles is configured to preferentially route larger particles having diameters greater than a critical diameter through the arrangement and along a first trajectory vector that is angled with respect to the direction of the flow path of the ink. The angle of the first trajectory vector with respect to the ink flow path is a function of the row offset fraction. Smaller particles having diameters less than the critical diameter travel through the arrangement along a second trajectory vector that is not substantially angled with respect to the flow path of the ink.

Abstract: A coating mechanism disposes a liquid (e.g., polymer) thin film onto a conveyor surface (e.g., roller or belt) that is moved by a suitable motor to convey the thin film into a precisely controlled gap (or nip) region where applied potentials generate an electric field that causes the liquid to undergo Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) patterning deformation, whereby the liquid forms patterned micro-scale features. A curing mechanism (e.g., a UV laser) is used to solidify (e.g., cross-link) the patterned liquid features inside or immediately after exiting the gap region, thereby forming micro-scale patterned structures that are either connected by an intervening web as part of a sheet, or separated into discrete micro-scale structures. Nanostructures (e.g., nanotubes or nanowires) disposed in the liquid become vertically oriented during the EHD patterning process. Segmented electrodes and patterned charges are utilized to provide digital patterning control.

Abstract: A liquid thin film is disposed on a conveyor surface (e.g., a roller or belt) that moves the thin film into a precisely controlled gap (or nip) region in which the liquid thin film is subjected to an electric field that causes the liquid to undergo Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) patterning deformation, whereby portions of the liquid thin film form patterned liquid features having a micro-scale patterned shape. A curing mechanism (e.g., a UV laser) is used to solidify (e.g., in the case of polymer thin films, cross-link) the patterned liquid inside or immediately after exiting the gap region. The patterned structures are either connected by an intervening web as part of a polymer sheet, or separated into discreet micro-scale structures. Nanostructures (e.g., nanotubes or nanowires) disposed in the polymer become vertically oriented during the EHD patterning process. Segmented electrodes and patterned charges are utilized to provide digital patterning control.

Abstract: A heat dissipation device and method provides thermal spreading and cooling for a heat-producing body. A thin film evaporator in thermal communication with the heat-producing body removes heat from the heat-producing body using a working fluid. A heat pipe integrated with the thin film evaporator, and extending from the thin film evaporator, dissipates heat removed by the thin film evaporator to the external environment of the heat dissipation device. A pumping element at least one of: 1) pumps working fluid to the thin film evaporator; and 2) augments transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator.

Abstract: Approaches to remove bubbles from ink in an ink jet printer are described. Bubble removal may be implemented using one or more separator elements configured to separate bubbles of a vapor from ink. Each separator element includes wicking features having dimensions sufficient to allow capillary movement of the ink in the wicking features and to substantially exclude the bubbles from the wicking features. One or more inlets allow passage of the ink that includes the bubbles into the separator element. At least one vapor outlet allows vapor that has been separated from the ink to exit from the separator element. The ink exits from the separator element thought one or more ink outlets.

Abstract: Approaches to remove objects from ink in an ink jet printer are described. An object separator for an ink jet printer includes one or more inlets configured to allow passage of ink that includes objects such as bubbles and particles into the object separator. The object separator has a number of stacked plates. Some of the plates have curved channels which are connected through other plates that include vias. The plates are arranged to form at least one cyclonic flow generator, the cyclonic flow generator configured to focus the objects into one or more focused flow streams. The object separator includes one or more object outlets that allow objects to exit the object separator and at least one ink outlet that allows the ink to exit the object separator.

Abstract: A particle removal device for an ink jet printer is discussed. The particle removal device includes a first separator comprising an arrangement of obstacles including at least two rows of obstacles that extend laterally with respect to a flow path of ink in the first separator. The rows of obstacles are offset from one another by a row offset fraction. The arrangement of obstacles is configured to preferentially route larger particles having diameters greater than a critical diameter through the arrangement and along a first trajectory vector that is angled with respect to the direction of the flow path of the ink. The angle of the first trajectory vector with respect to the ink flow path is a function of the row offset fraction. Smaller particles having diameters less than the critical diameter travel through the arrangement along a second trajectory vector that is not substantially angled with respect to the flow path of the ink.

Abstract: A print head assembly for an ink jet printer includes an ink flow path configured to allow passage of a phase-change ink. A pressure unit is fluidically coupled to the ink flow path to apply a pressure to the ink. The applied pressure is controlled by a control unit during a time that the ink in the ink flow path is undergoing a phase change. During the phase change, a portion of the ink in a first region of the ink flow path is in liquid phase and another portion of the ink in another region of the ink flow path is in solid phase. A constant or variable pressure can be applied at least to the liquid phase portion of the ink during a phase transition from a liquid phase to a solid phase or from a solid phase to a liquid phase.