Electrolyte-constrained jet electrochemical manufacturing of metallic microstructures

This research introduces a method of electrolyte-constrained jet electrochemical manufacturing (EC-JEM) that can be applied for machining and deposition (appropriate polarity and electrolyte) to minimise stray processing and thus improve manufacturing precision. In this method, a high-density insulating liquid, Perfluorotripropylamine (FTPA), is initially applied to the surface of the workpiece. When the electrolyte is ejected from the nozzle and reaches the workpiece, the FTPA restricts its diffusion, resulting in confining the manufacturing zone to a localized region directly beneath the nozzle. Subsequently, the electrolyte climbs along the outer wall of the nozzle and flows away due to surface tension. The obtained COMSOL simulation results reveal that, in comparison to traditional jet electrochemical manufacturing, FTPA effectively constrains the diffusion of the electrolyte on the workpiece surface, localising the processing area and augmenting the current density, ultimately improving manufacturing localisation and efficiency. Furthermore, various metallic microstructures with high localization were also successfully manufactured through both subtractive (electrochemical machining) and additive (electrochemical deposition) manufacturing, demonstrating the feasibility and flexibility of this method.