Ultra Sonic Spray Coating of Silica Nanocomposites for Smoothening 3D-Printed Fused Silica Glass and Metal Casted Injection Molding Tools
Description
In this work we demonstrate for the first time that optically smooth transparent glass geometries can be achieved by spray coating adapted silica nanocomposites onto the printed parts prior to the thermal heat treatment. This process enables the manufacture of complex, optically transparent fused silica glass geometries with a surface roughness below 16 nm (Sq), and using commercially available printers. Furthermore, we demonstrated that once produced and refined, these fused silica glass components can be effectively adapted for metal casting and manufacturing of multi-sided injection molding tools. This significantly enhances the prototyping of optical glass components as well as tool-based manufacturing processes.
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Data acquisition was carried out using various analytical techniques to characterize surface and optical properties. Surface roughness was measured using a white light interferometer (NewView 9000, Zygo, USA) over an area of 350 × 350 µm. Fluorescence measurements were performed with a fluorescence microscope (DMi8, Leica, Wetzlar, Germany) using Cy5, Cy3, FITC, and DAPI filters and an exposure time of 200 ms. Optical transmission was recorded with a UV-Vis spectrometer (Evolution 201, Thermo Scientific, Germany) in the wavelength range of 200–800 nm. Surface data were processed and analyzed using the Gwyddion software.
Institutions
- Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat Freiburg Technische Fakultat