Methods of three-dimensional electrophoretic deposition for ceramic and cermet applications and systems thereof
A ceramic, metal, or cermet according to one embodiment includes a first layer having a gradient in composition, microstructure and/or density in an x-y plane oriented parallel to a plane of deposition of the first layer. A ceramic according to another embodiment includes a plurality of layers comprising particles of a non-cubic material, wherein each layer is characterized by the particles of the non-cubic material being aligned in a common direction. Additional products and methods are also disclosed.
1. A product, comprising:
a first layer having a gradient in composition, microstructure and/or density in an x-y plane oriented parallel to a plane of deposition of the first layer,
wherein the first layer includes non-spherical particles, wherein the non-spherical particles are micro-rod and/or nano-rod particles; and
wherein the product is optically transparent.
2. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the gradient of the first layer is structurally defined by a first material being arranged in a first predefined pattern and a second material being arranged in a second predefined pattern.
3. The product as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least the first material has a structural characteristic of being deposited through an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process according to the first predefined pattern.
4. The product as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least the first material has a characteristic of being deposited through an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process above a non-planar electrode according to the first predefined pattern.
5. The product as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a second layer above the first layer, wherein the second layer has a gradient in composition, microstructure and/or density in an x-y plane oriented parallel to a plane of deposition of the second layer, wherein the second layer includes non-spherical particles.
6. The product as recited in claim 2 , further comprising a second layer above the first layer, wherein the second layer has a gradient in composition, microstructure and/or density in an x-y plane oriented parallel to a plane of deposition of the second layer, wherein the gradient of the second layer is defined by the first material being arranged in a third predefined pattern and the second material being arranged in a fourth predefined pattern.
7. The product as recited in claim 6 , wherein at least the first material in the second layer has a characteristic of being deposited through an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process according to the third predefined pattern.
8. The product as recited in claim 6 , wherein at least the first material in the second layer has a characteristic of being deposited through an electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process above a non-planar electrode according to the third predefined pattern.
9. The product as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first predefined pattern is different from the third predefined pattern.
10. The product as recited in claim 5 , wherein a gradient exists between the first layer and the second layer in a z-direction perpendicular to the x-y plane of the first layer, the gradient being a transition from at least one of: a first composition, a first microstructure, and a first density of the first layer to at least one of: a second composition, a second microstructure, and a second density of the second layer, wherein at least one of: the first composition and the second composition are different, the first microstructure and the second microstructure are different, and the first density and the second density are different.
11. A high-powered laser comprising the product as recited in claim 1 as a ceramic optic in the laser.
12. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-spherical particles include a material selected from the group consisting of:
chloroapatite, hydroxyapatite, and fluorapatite.
13. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the non-spherical particles has a longitudinal axis oriented in a common direction perpendicular to the plane of deposition of the first layer.
14. The product as recited in claim 13 , wherein each of the non-spherical has a longitudinal length that is at least three times longer than a width thereof.
15. The product as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first material includes non-spherical particles of a first non-cubic material and the second material includes non-spherical particles of a second non-cubic material, the first non-cubic material being different than the second non-cubic material.
16. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first layer has a gradient in composition, microstructure and density in an x-y plane oriented parallel to the plane of deposition of the first layer.
17. The product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the non-spherical particles include fluorapatite particles having a diameter of about 100 nm and a length of about 500 nm.
18. A product, comprising:
a first layer having a first gradient in at least one of: a first composition, a first microstructure, and a first density,
wherein the first layer includes a first plurality of non-spherical particles,
wherein the first plurality of non-spherical particles are micro-rod and/or nano-rod particles,
wherein the product is an optically transparent ceramic.
19. The product as recited in claim 18 , wherein each non-spherical particle in the first plurality of non-spherical particles has a longitudinal axis oriented in a single common direction perpendicular to a plane of deposition of the first layer.
20. The product as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first plurality of non-spherical particles include a material selected from the group consisting of: chloroapatite, hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite.
21. The product as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first plurality of non-spherical particles include fluorapatite, the non-spherical particles each having a diameter of about 100 nm and a length of about 500 nm.
22. The product as recited in claim 18 , further comprising a second layer deposited layer above the first layer, the second layer having a second gradient in at least one of: a second composition, a second microstructure, and a second density, wherein the second layer incudes a second plurality of non-spherical particles, wherein the second plurality of non-spherical particles are micro-rod and/or nano-rod particles.
23. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein each non-spherical particle in the second plurality of non-spherical particles has a longitudinal axis oriented in a single common direction perpendicular to a plane of deposition of the second layer.
24. The product as recited in claim 22 , wherein a third gradient exists between the first layer and the second layer, the third gradient being a transition from at least one of: the first composition to the second composition, the first microstructure to the second microstructure, and the first density to the second density.
25. A ceramic, metal or cermet, comprising:
a first layer having a gradient in composition, microstructure and/or density in an x-y plane oriented parallel to a plane of deposition of the first layer,
wherein the gradient is structurally defined by at least a first material and a second material being arranged in a first predefined pattern and a second predefined pattern, respectively,
wherein the first material in the first predefined pattern and the second material in the second predefined pattern lie in a common plane oriented parallel to the plane of deposition, wherein the first predefined pattern and the second predefined pattern form complementary checkerboard patterns.