Multifunctional reactive inks, methods of use and manufacture thereof
In one embodiment, a method includes dispersing a plurality of particles in solution to form a dispersion and adding a stabilizing agent to the dispersion in an amount sufficient to cause the dispersion to exhibit one or more predetermined rheological properties. The particles in the dispersion are configured to complete a self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction upon initiation thereof. In another embodiment, a method includes depositing a material on a substrate. The material includes: a plurality of particles configured to complete a self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction upon initiation thereof, a solvent system, and one or more stabilizing agents.
1. A method, comprising:
dispersing a plurality of particles in a solution to form a dispersion; and
adding a stabilizing agent to the dispersion in an amount sufficient to cause the dispersion to exhibit one or more predetermined rheological properties, wherein the one or more predetermined rheological properties include the dispersion being structurally self-supporting during deposition thereof onto a substrate and prior to initiation of a self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction; and
wherein the particles in the dispersion are configured to complete a self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction upon initiation thereof.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the particles comprise a binary or higher order reactive system.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the particles comprise from about 30 vol % to about 80 vol % of the dispersion.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the dispersion comprises the particles dispersed throughout a liquid metal matrix.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the particles are characterized by a core-shell configuration.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the particles are characterized by an average diameter in a range from about 0.01 microns to about 100 microns.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of: at least one polymer, at least one surfactant, at least one acid, at least one base, at least one electrolyte and/or at least one polyelectrolyte, and at least one salt.
8. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the at least one polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyethyleneimine, and ammonium polymethacrylate.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined rheological properties are selected from the group consisting of: viscosity, shear, storage, loss modulus, density, flow properties, and volume fraction of the particles.
10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the dispersing comprises one or more operations selected from the group consisting of: shaking, stirring, vortexing, and sonicating.
11. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising heating the dispersion to remove a solvent therefrom without initiating any chemical reaction between the plurality of particles.
12. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising adding at least one additional component to the dispersion, wherein the at least one additional component is selected from the group consisting of: a humectant, a graded volatility solvent system, a brazing agent, a gelation agent, and an adhesion agent.
13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction generates heat, and
wherein the heat generated by the self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction at least partially melts at least one adjacent layer comprising a second dispersion.
14. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the particles in the dispersion are configured so that the self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction comprises a thermite and/or an intermetallic reaction.
15. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising depositing one or more layers of the dispersion onto a substrate.
16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the particles in the dispersion are configured so that the self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction renders at least one surface of the substrate onto which the dispersion is deposited conductive.
17. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising cleaning a deposition surface of the substrate with acid prior to depositing the one or more layers of the dispersion.
18. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising depositing one or more additional layers of a second dispersion to form a structure comprising alternating layers of the dispersion and the second dispersion, and
wherein the layers of the second dispersion comprise a non-energetic material.
19. The method as recited in claim 18 , further comprising initiating the self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction in each layer of the dispersion;
wherein each self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction generates heat, and
wherein the heat generated by each self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction at least partially melts at least one adjacent layer comprising the second dispersion.
20. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising initiating the self-propagating and/or self-sustaining reaction in each layer subsequent to deposition thereof and prior to depositing a subsequent additional layer.