3D ultrasound directed self-assembly of high aspect ratio particles: On the relationship between the number of transducers and their spatial arrangement

Abstract

Ultrasound directed self-assembly (DSA) enables noninvasively aligning high aspect ratio particles in three-dimensional (3D) user-specified orientations, which finds application in a myriad of engineering applications, including manufacturing engineered materials. However, the number of ultrasound transducers and their spatial arrangement limit the accuracy of the particle alignment with any 3D user-specified orientation. We define a set of 3D user-specified orientations and use numerical simulations to quantitatively evaluate the effect of the number of ultrasound transducers, their spatial arrangement including a sphere, cube, and two parallel plates, and the size of the spatial arrangement on the orientation error of a high aspect ratio particle in a standing ultrasound wave field. We demonstrate that a spatial arrangement of ultrasound transducers with more than two unique wave propagating directions is required to orient a high aspect ratio particle in 3D, and we determine that the orientation error decreases with the increasing number of unique wave propagation directions. Furthermore, we show that in a spherical arrangement of ultrasound transducers, the orientation error is independent of the size of the arrangement of transducers. This knowledge facilitates using ultrasound DSA as a fabrication method for engineered composite materials that derive their function from the location and orientation of particle inclusions.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Sep 14, 2020
Source ID
10.1063/5.0025367

Entities

People

  • Bart Raeymaekers
  • F. Guevara Vasquez
  • M. Prisbrey

Organizations

  • Army Research Office
  • University of Utah

Tags

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Nanocomposite Materials Science
  • Nanofabrication and Microfabrication.