Electrochemical 3D printing of Ni-Mn and Ni-Co alloy with FluidFM

Abstract

Additive manufacturing can realize almost any designed geometry, enabling the fabrication of innovative products for advanced applications. Local electrochemical plating is a powerful approach for additive manufacturing of metal microstructures; however, previously reported data have been mostly obtained with copper, and only a few cases have been reported with other elements. In this study, we assessed the ability of fluidic force microscopy to produce Ni-Mn and Ni-Co alloy structures. Once the optimal deposition potential window was determined, pillars with relatively smooth surfaces were obtained. The printing process was characterized by printing rates in the range of 50-60 nm s(-1). Cross-sections exposed by focused ion beam showed highly dense microstructures, while the corresponding face scan with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy spectra revealed a uniform distribution of alloy components.