Engineers of the Georgia Technological Institute announced the development of an innovative method of printing extremely small metal nanostructures using light. Existing methods, although capable of this, differ in slowness and complexity, which does not allow them to be used on a commercial scale.
The method called the “super-lighting light projection”, according to engineers, can be a breakthrough that opens the way to technological innovation in industry, commerce, and science, including advanced achievements in nanotechnologies.
Scientific and engineering spheres are increasingly needing nanoscale objects, which are hundreds of times smaller than human hair. This is especially important for advanced nanotechnologies, such as in energy generation, sensors, and innovative medical procedures.
The current method of printing metal nanostructures includes the use of a powerful light source – femtosecond laser. This equipment costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, making the process expensive. In addition, the printing occurs very slowly, which limits the use of this technology exclusively to laboratories.
New method: faster and cheaper
Engineers began the search for an alternative light source that could focus like femtosecond lasers, but at the same time would be less powerful and cheaper for commercial scaling. The solution was super-lighting LEDs (SLED), a billion times less intense than a femtosecond laser and worth about $3,000.
The team developed a projection system that turns digital images into optical and prints them on a glass surface. The system works like a digital projector but creates clearer images.
Breakthrough in Nanoprint
Using their system, engineers conducted real tests, and the process was successful. When the light fell into the solution, it caused a chemical reaction, turning a solution of salt into metal. Metal nanoparticles stick to the surface of the glass, creating nanostructures.
The process was 480 times faster and 35 times cheaper than the existing method. The study published in the journal Advanced Materials indicates that this method can be a significant breakthrough that can transform the scope limited by slow and expensive technologies.