Nanomanufacturing of random branching material architectures

Research in vital fields such as micro/opto-electronics, fuel cells and tissue engineering calls for fabrication of functional structures with optimal harvesting or perfusion of matter, energy and information, via permeation and transport through random branched conduit networks. This article reviews research aimed at establishing and investigating universal, scalable manufacturing techniques for materials and structures with stochastic tree architectures, and custom-designed, controlled probabilistic leafage, branch and trunk features. These are achieved by combination of complementary, multiscale fabrication processes for robust, affordable, productive manufacture, such as ultrasonic corrosion texturing, ultrasonic powder consolidation, block copolymer self-assembly, plasma processing of polymers, fiber electrospinning, anodized alumina templating and carbon nano-network deposition. Their process–structure–property relations are studied by microscopic, spectroscopic and other experimentation, coupled with computation via atomistic and continuum simulations. Such modelling will enable design and optimization, as well as real-time identification and process control. Manufacturing synthesis of such processes is illustrated in research related to nanoheaters, nanocomposite foils and tissue scaffolds. The platform illustrates and exemplifies some of the key salient features of nanomanufacturing for scalable production. (This paper was presented as an invited talk in the MNE 2008 Conference, www.mne08.org, www.mne-conf.org).