Principal Investigator: Dr. Michael Cullinan
Graduate Mentor: Ang Gao
Department: Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering
Research Group Website: https://ndml.me.utexas.edu
May 2025 - Present
Undergraduate Researcher
Developing resin formulations with embedded yttrium oxide nanoparticles for DLP printing
Developed an Arduino-based control system for a dual MFC-controlled burnout regulator
Investigation of different nanoparticle size combinations to yield maximum packing density in printable resins
Study of thermal degradation and pyrolysis of ceramic green parts with controlled oxygen partial pressure
Tuning DLP print parameters to control light dispersion and cure thickness
Stepwise simplified fabrication procedure
To reliably remove organic constituents without oxidizing ZnSe, an Arduino-controlled dual-MFC setup (O₂(Air)/N₂) was deployed. The controller actuates the two MFCs to prescribe the oxygen mole fraction and independently set the overall volumetric flow, enabling low-O₂ thermo-oxidative burnout under controlled residence time and sweep conditions.
An Arduino Nano generated control signals for each MFC to achieve the desired total flow rate and oxygen fraction, while simultaneously reading feedback signals and adjusting outputs to match the true flow. A rotary encoder and LCD provided a simple UI showing setpoints, measured values, and units.
The DLP printing step presented several challenges, including time-consuming setup for each resin, large required resin volumes, high drag from large cross-sectional area, and dimensional inaccuracy from vat instability. These issues were addressed through resin formulation optimization and modifications to the printer, build plate, and vat geometry.
Spectra of yttrium oxide absorbance from the NIST Chemistry WebBook
As all resin formulations are susceptible to curing from ambient light, custom cases were designed to fit over Falcon tubes. The cases also allow for vertical storage, eliminating the risk of leakage.
To maximize ceramic volume fraction in the resin we need to maximize the amount of ceramic particle loadings. The issue lies in balancing printability and burnability/sinterability. Viscosity and particle suspension is a key concern which can be approached by the resin identity and particle size and ratio of sizes. Smaller-sized particles are better suspended and sintered but increase the viscosity much more than bigger ones.
Due to the high loading of ceramic particles in the resin, incident light intended to cure a defined voxel normal to the build plate undergoes scattering and refraction, spreading into adjacent regions. This behavior degrades cure thickness control and dimensional accuracy as the exposure becomes less localized. Reducing the slice thickness can partially mitigate this effect.
As noted, particle diameter played a central role in all aspects of this work. To maximize ceramic volume loading, a polydisperse suspension was prepared using small particles together with particles approximately ten times larger. In current experiments, particle sizes of 30–40 nm, 300 nm, and 500 nm are being explored. The goal is to achieve the highest possible volume fraction while maintaining a resin that remains printable.
Figures from https://wiki.anton-paar.com/nl-en/the-influence-of-particles-on-suspension-rheology