Acoustic Assembly

Acoustic forces can align and consolidate particles in fluids. This enables microstructural control of two-phase materials at time-scales compatible with direct-write printing of composites. Our work centers on better understanding the fundamental physics of the printing / acoustic assembly process to expand the library of materials capable of printing and develop new types of hierarchical materials.

Example of direct-write printing with acoustic focusing. Barium titanate spheres are focused to the center of the print stream via an applied standing wave of pressure.

Relevant Papers:

R. Collino, T. Ray, R. Fleming, C. Sasaki, H. Haj-Hariri, M. Begley, “Microfluidic masonry: tunable patterning and assembly of anisotropic particles via acoustophoresis,” Extreme Mechanics Letters, 2015. [DOI] Featured as Cover Article

R. Collino, T. Ray, R. Fleming, J. Cornell, B. Compton, M. Begley, “Deposition of ordered two-phase materials using microfluidic print nozzles with acoustic focusing,” Extreme Mechanics Letters, 2016. [DOI]

L. Friedrich, R. Collino, T. Ray, M. Begley, "Acoustic control of microstructures during direct ink writing of two-phase materials," Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 2017. [DOI]

R. Collino, T. Ray, L. Friedrich, J. Cornell, C. Meinhart, M. Begley, "Scaling relationships for acoustic control of two-phase microstructures during extrusion printing," Materials Research Letters, 2018. [DOI]