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Research Summary of an Additive Manufacturing Technology for the Fabrication of 3D Composites with Tailored Internal Structure

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Abstract

A novel additive manufacturing technology is used to create micro-composites, which can be tailored for specific end-use applications. The Field-Aided Laminar Composite (FALCom) process uses specifically focused electric fields to align nano- to micro-sized particles into chain-like structures, which are referred to as pseudo-fibers. These pseudo-fibers are then immediately frozen into place by incident ultraviolet radiation on the photopolymer matrix. The pseudo-fibers are arranged by design, and they are used to create three-dimensional composite structures. Multiple filler materials have been evaluated for use in the FALCom system; however, this report describes aluminum micro-particles that are aligned and oriented in an acrylic photopolymer matrix. A description of the technology and a review of experimental processing are shown, and conclusions, as well as, future work are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This investigation was accomplished through the support of many U.S. Army Research Laboratory colleagues. In particular, I would like to thank Ricardo Rodriguez and Zach Larimore for their assistance and input. I would also like to thank Dr. Tom Turng, University of Wisconsin-Madison, for his leadership and support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Army Research Lab, MiCRO Lab, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Aberdeen, MD, 21005, USA

    Larry R. Holmes Jr.

  2. U.S. Army Research Lab, Vehicle Technology Directorate, Aberdeen, MD, 21005, USA

    Jaret C. Riddick

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  1. Larry R. Holmes Jr.
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  2. Jaret C. Riddick
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Correspondence to Larry R. Holmes Jr..

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Holmes, L.R., Riddick, J.C. Research Summary of an Additive Manufacturing Technology for the Fabrication of 3D Composites with Tailored Internal Structure. JOM 66, 270–274 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-013-0828-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-013-0828-4

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