Ultrasonic spray deposition of SiC nanoparticles for laminate metal composite fabrication

• Deposition of SiC nanoparticles via ultrasonic spraying was investigated.
• Droplet size, driving force, and evaporation behavior affect deposited structure.
• Atomized droplet size is controlled by the nanoparticle concentration and size.
• Driving force and evaporation behavior are determined by the spraying parameters.
• Nonuniform deposition structure results in inferior laminate composite properties.

Nanoparticles have been increasingly used in functional and composite materials. One of the challenges, however, has been dispersing and controlling the nanoparticle clusters. In this study, the deposition of SiC nanoparticles via ultrasonic spraying process was investigated for a potential application in synthesis of laminate metal composites. The governing parameters of the ultrasonic spraying process which includes suspension and spraying parameters, and their influence on the deposited structure have been investigated. These parameters determine the driving force that transports the atomized droplets to the substrate, the amount of liquid phase present on the substrate, and its evaporation rate. By controlling these parameters, deposition structures ranging from a few SiC nanoparticles to cluster sizes of 10 μm could be obtained. The potential of using ultrasonic spraying to fabricate laminate composites reinforced at the interfaces with nanoparticles was investigated. Composites with a uniform deposition of SiC at the interface showed better mechanical properties than those with a nonuniform deposition when compared at the same SiC loading.

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