Application Cases

【Overview】

In this study, an electrohydrodynamic jet printing system was built to lay a manufacturing foundation for subsequent research on magneto-mechanical coupling characteristics and flexible actuation applications.

Experiment name: Experiment on one-step fabrication of flexible magnetostrictive fiber ribbon thin films by electrohydrodynamic jet printing

Research directions: Preparation of flexible magnetostrictive materials, electrohydrodynamic jet printing, low-magnetic-field magneto-mechanical coupling modeling, development of flexible micro-actuators/sensors, magnetostrictive flexible robot actuation

Experimental objective: Aiming at the problems of traditional flexible magnetostrictive material preparation processes, such as complex processes, difficulty in balancing precision and flexibility, and insufficient low-magnetic-field actuation performance, this experiment adopts electrohydrodynamic jet printing technology to achieve one-step, low-cost, large-area preparation of Fe₅₀Co₅₀ fiber ribbon thin films with both a high magnetostrictive effect and high mechanical flexibility, and to optimize the forming structure and morphology, thereby laying a manufacturing foundation for subsequent research on magneto-mechanical coupling characteristics and flexible actuation applications.

Test equipment:

1. Flow pump: precisely controls the feeding rate of the liquid colloid, stably delivers the colloid to the needle, ensures uniform material supply during the printing process, and avoids uneven fiber thickness or flow interruption caused by flow rate fluctuations.

2. Signal generator: outputs a controllable low-voltage electrical signal, providing the original excitation signal for the high-voltage amplifier, and is used to regulate the intensity and mode of the printing electric field.

3. High-voltage amplifier: amplifies the low-voltage signal output by the signal generator to a high voltage of tens of kilovolts, forming a strong electric field between the needle and the X-Y drive platform, providing the core electric field drag force for electrohydrodynamic jet printing, causing the colloid to form a Taylor cone and be stretched into micro/nano fibers.

4. Needle: serves as the terminal for colloid ejection and electric field loading. On one hand, it receives the colloid delivered by the flow pump; on the other hand, it is connected to the high-voltage amplifier, forming a strong electric field at the tip and stretching the colloid into a micro/nano jet.

5. X-Y drive platform: carries the flexible substrate and moves in the plane according to a preset CAD trajectory. Together with the continuous printing of the needle, it achieves precise deposition and forming of complex patterns (such as serpentine and linear arrays).

6. Z-axis drive: adjusts the vertical distance between the needle and the substrate (printing height), optimizes the electric field distribution and jet stability, and thereby controls the morphology, thickness, and spreading effect of the fibers.

Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the experimental platform

Figure 2 Photo of the experimental platform

Experimental process: First, Fe₅₀Co₅₀ alloy powder is mixed and stirred with phenolic resin, glycerol, and PVP dispersant to prepare a uniform and stable liquid alloy colloid; the colloid is loaded into the printing needle, and a high-voltage electric field is applied between the nozzle and the flexible PET substrate through the high-voltage amplifier. The electric field force is used to drag and form a Taylor cone, printing the colloid in an orderly manner onto the substrate; the trajectory of the X-Y platform is controlled by CAD to form a serpentine-layout fiber ribbon. Finally, PDMS is spin-coated and left to cure, completing one-step encapsulation and sample preparation.

Experimental results: A flexible magnetostrictive fiber ribbon thin film with a serpentine structure, uniform outline, and regular morphology was successfully prepared. The sample size is 45 mm × 15 mm × 200 μm, the fiber ribbon width is about 210 μm, and the height is about 18 μm; the Fe₅₀Co₅₀ particles are uniformly dispersed in the film without obvious agglomeration, and the film has good mechanical flexibility and transparency and can bend and conform to curved surfaces; this one-step process simplifies the flow, improves efficiency, breaks through the precision and bonding strength bottlenecks of traditional multi-step transfer methods, and achieves stable manufacturing with "unified precision and flexibility."

Product advantages of Aigtek amplifiers in this application:

1. High-voltage driving capability — generates the decisive electric field for micron-scale fiber ribbons

2. Wide bandwidth and low distortion — ensures jet stability and printing precision under capacitive load driving

3. High output stability and real-time monitoring — supports process consistency

【Recommended product】: ATA-7000 series high-voltage amplifier

Figure: ATA-7000 series high-voltage amplifier specifications and parameters