SNM: Physics Guided Innovation of Integrated Flash-Light-Sintering, Continuous Nanomaterial Synthesis and Roll-To-Roll Deposition Processes

CBET-1449383

Chang, Oregon State University

Continuous and patterned thin-films with controlled geometries are poised to make a disruptive impact in applications including pervasive sensing and communications, wearable health-monitoring, environmental sensing, energy efficient buildings and transportation, renewable energy and energy storage. In this project, the PIs will address the current bottleneck of high manufacturing costs for large-volume production of such thin-films, to enhance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness on the global stage and enable improved quality of life via widespread deployment of corresponding thin-film devices. The primary research scope will focus on investigating the fundamental multi-physical phenomena over multiple length scales that underlie a transformational and highly-scalable nanoparticle-ink sintering process, i.e., Flash-Light-Sintering. This will enhance understanding of the interaction between optically induced nanoparticle heating and nanoparticle fusion in a collection of nanoparticles, leading to a better understanding of the implications of these phenomena in scalable nanomanufacturing. This fundamental knowledge will lead to the innovation of advanced high-throughput and low-cost methods for industrial scale manufacturing of thin-films. As part of this project, The PIs will train graduate students to develop hands-on educational modules based on this research, requiring the students to analyze and summarize results, extract the underlying principles, create demonstration experiments, and use these modules to teach parts of graduate courses. The PIs will also engage undergraduates via existing undergraduate mentoring programs as well as high school students via the Apprenticeships in Science and Engineering (ASE) program. The primary focus group of ASE has been traditionally underrepresented students. The use of focused hands-on experimental projects as a teaching tool will allow these students to develop a deep appreciation and interest in the multiple physical phenomena and processes associated with scalable nanomanufacturing processes.

The goals of this proposal are to investigate the fundamental multiscale and multiphysical phenomena underlying a transformational and highly-scalable Nanoparticle-ink (NP-ink) sintering process, i.e., Flash-Light-Sintering (FLS), and to use this knowledge to guide the creation of novel, scalable processes that combine FLS with equally scalable Microreactor-Assisted Nanoparticle Synthesis (MANS) and Roll-to-Roll (R2R) NP-ink deposition. These advanced processes will possess unmatched capabilities for low-cost, high-throughput, multi-materials capable manufacturing of patterned and continuous thin-films with controlled nano-scale density over large-area flexible substrates. In FLS, sintering times can be up to 100x faster while operation and equipment costs can be several orders lower than conventional NP sintering methods. The PIs will overcome key scientific and technical gaps including poor understanding of the physics of FLS, limited multimaterials capability, costly and discontinuous NP-ink synthesis, and costly tooling for patterning NP-inks that have limited the full utilization of highly scalable integrated FLS-R2R processes.

The PIs will develop multi-scale, multi-physical models to understand the link between the optically-induced nanoparticle heating and densification of nanoparticles. These models, along with extensive experimental characterization will uncover new knowledge on the effects of FLS process parameters and NP-ink characteristics on the characteristics of the sintered thin-films. This new knowledge will guide the design of a novel dual-band FLS-R2R process for high-throughput FLS of semiconductor NPs that typically have low optically induced heating effects. This process, along with novel methods for controlling FLS by tailoring the chemical composition of the nanoparticles, will enable significantly expanded multimaterials capability of FLS. The design and integration of scalable MANS processes with these novel FLS and R2R processes will enable additional degrees of multimaterial flexibility and reduced costs for the use of integrated FLS-R2R systems. The above efforts will also guide the design a new gravure-less FLS-R2R process to minimize the tooling costs associated with fabrication of patterned thin-films using NP-inks.