Abstract Scope |
As porous structures find more and more applications across various industries, a generic and cost-effective additive manufacturing technique for fabricating multi-scale (combined nano-, micro-, and macro-) porous structures is highly desirable. We propose the hypothesis that a multi-stage additive manufacturing process, including printable material preparation, 3D printing techniques, and post-processing, could offer a universal solution to build an agile AM process for porous structures. This presentation analyzes how each stage can be better correlated to fabricate multi-scale porous structures. Additionally, we explored experimental and CFD-based analytical tests to optimize the resolution of the developed multi-stage process. Such that not only can the end-part shape fidelity be improved but also achieve a well-ordered pore arrangement. With a high-fidelity three-dimensional (3D) printing process and the precise controllability of the porosity, we showed that the printed end-part exhibited remarkable multi-functionalities, including robust mechanical strength, thermal insulation, and energetic applications, etc. |