Metal foams can be fabricated through metallizing nonconductive polymer templates for better control of pore size, porosity, and interpore connectivity. However, the process suffers from a diffusion limit when the pore size is reduced to micro- and nanoscales. In this research, an electropolishing-assisted electroless deposition (EPAELD) process is developed to fabricate open-celled microcellular metal foams. To overcome the diffusion limit, a polishing current is applied in the electroless deposition process to remove metal on the surface of a polymer template, such that the ion-diffusion channels will remain open and the electroless deposition reaction continues deep inside the polymer template. In this paper, a process model of the proposed EPAELD technique is developed to understand the mechanism and to optimize the proposed process.
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March 2017
Research-Article
Modeling of an Electropolishing-Assisted Electroless Deposition Process for Microcellular Metal Foam Fabrication
Wei Jiang,
Wei Jiang
Program of Materials Science and Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
Search for other works by this author on:
Russell Borduin,
Russell Borduin
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
Search for other works by this author on:
Hao Xin,
Hao Xin
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
Search for other works by this author on:
Wei Li
Wei Li
Program of Materials Science and Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712;
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
e-mail: weiwli@austin.utexas.edu
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
e-mail: weiwli@austin.utexas.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Wei Jiang
Program of Materials Science and Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
Russell Borduin
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
Hao Xin
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
Wei Li
Program of Materials Science and Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712;
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
e-mail: weiwli@austin.utexas.edu
The University of Texas at Austin,
204 East Dean Keeton Street,
Austin, TX 78712
e-mail: weiwli@austin.utexas.edu
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received April 19, 2016; final manuscript received November 8, 2016; published online January 27, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Y. B. Guo.
J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. Mar 2017, 139(3): 031018 (8 pages)
Published Online: January 27, 2017
Article history
Received:
April 19, 2016
Revised:
November 8, 2016
Citation
Jiang, W., Borduin, R., Xin, H., and Li, W. (January 27, 2017). "Modeling of an Electropolishing-Assisted Electroless Deposition Process for Microcellular Metal Foam Fabrication." ASME. J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. March 2017; 139(3): 031018. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4035215
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