High-frequency electrohydrodynamic jet printing based on meniscus vibration

This paper reports a novel method for achieving ultrafast electrohydrodynamic jetting realized by utilizing the meniscus vibration, accompanied by the fundamental theoretical analysis of the jetting mechanism. Different from traditional electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet, this method couples a piezoelectric actuator within the middle part of the capillary; when the driving frequency of piezoelectric actuator matches with the resonance frequencies of the liquid column in the capillary, meniscus vibration at the same frequency can be achieved; then by applying an appropriate external electric field, an EHD tip streaming synchronized with the meniscus vibration is triggered. We demonstrate that the pulsating flow field at the orifices significantly accelerates the cone sharpening, achieving the conical singularity suitable for jetting within sub-microsecond time scales. This method elevates EHD jetting frequency close to megahertz, thereby establishing a theoretical and technological foundation for the development of high-throughput EHD printing technology.