Template-Free 3D Microprinting of Metals Using a Force-Controlled Nanopipette for Layer-by-Layer Electrodeposition

Luca Hirt; Stephan Ihle; Zhijian Pan; Livie Dorwling-Carter; Alain Reiser; Jeffrey M Wheeler; Ralph Spolenak; János Vörös; Tomaso Zambelli

doi:10.1002/adma.201504967

Template-Free 3D Microprinting of Metals Using a Force-Controlled Nanopipette for Layer-by-Layer Electrodeposition

Adv Mater. 2016 Mar 23;28(12):2311-5. doi: 10.1002/adma.201504967. Epub 2016 Jan 19.

Authors

Luca Hirt¹, Stephan Ihle¹, Zhijian Pan¹, Livie Dorwling-Carter¹, Alain Reiser², Jeffrey M Wheeler², Ralph Spolenak², János Vörös¹, Tomaso Zambelli¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, ETH and University of Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
² Department of Materials, Laboratory for Nanometallurgy, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, CH 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.

PMID: 26783090
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201504967

Abstract

A novel 3D printing method for voxel-by-voxel metal printing is presented. Hollow atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers are used to locally supply metal ions in an electrochemical cell, enabling a localized electroplating reaction. By exploiting the deflection feedback of these probes, electrochemical 3D metal printing is, for the first time, demonstrated in a layer-by-layer fashion, enabling the fabrication of arbitrary-shaped geometries.

Keywords: 3D metal printing; FluidFM; local electroplating.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Copper Sulfate / chemistry
Electroplating
Metals / chemistry*
Microscopy, Atomic Force
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Nanotechnology / instrumentation
Nanotechnology / methods*
Printing, Three-Dimensional

Substances

Metals
Copper Sulfate