The Texas A&m University System

Texas Tech University System

Charles B Sweeney

Micah J Green

Wanmei Sun

Mohammad Saed

Thomas C Achee

A non-contact method of joining two components via direct heating of a thermoset adhesive includes applying the thermoset adhesive to at least a first component of the two components. The thermoset adhesive includes a susceptor to reacts in the presence of an electromagnetic field. The method includes placing the first component and a second component of the two components in proximity to an electromagnetic field. In some aspects, the method includes placing the first and second components in proximity to an electromagnetic field of a capacitor. The susceptor interacts with the electromagnetic field to heat the thermoset adhesive via resistive heating. In some aspects, a method of direct-contact heating of the thermoset adhesive includes attaching electrodes to a film comprising the adhesive. The components being joined together are not directly heated by the electromagnetic field, and as a result experience much lower temperatures than the thermoset adhesive.

Radio frequency heating for rapid curing of nanocomposite adhesives

A microwave-induced heating of CNT filled (or coated) polymer composites for enhancing inter-bead diffusive bonding of fused filament fabricated parts. The technique incorporates microwave absorbing nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) onto the surface or throughout the volume of 3D printer polymer filament to increase the inter-bead bond strength following a post microwave irradiation treatment and/or in-situ focused microwave beam during printing. The overall strength of the final 3D printed part will be dramatically increased and the isotropic mechanical properties of fused filament part will approach or exceed conventionally manufactured counterparts.

Microwave-induced localized heating of CNT filled polymer composites for enhanced inter-bead diffusive bonding of fused filament fabricated part

Methods and reactors for electrochemically expanding a parent material and expanded parent materials are described. Current methods of expanding parent materials incompletely-expand parent material, requiring expensive and time-consuming separation of expanded parent material from unexpanded parent materials. This problem is addressed by the methods and reactor for electrochemically expanding a parent material described herein, which during operation maintain electrical connectivity between the parent material and an electrical power source. The resulting materials described herein have a greater proportion of expanded parent material relative to unexpanded parent material compared to those made according to others methods.

Electrochemically expanded materials and reactor and method for producing the same

A electromagnetic wave-induced heating of CNT filled (or coated) polymer composites for enhancing inter-bead diffusive bonding of fused filament fabricated parts. The technique incorporates electromagnetic wave absorbing nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) onto the surface or throughout the volume of 3D printer polymer filament to increase the inter-bead bond strength following a post electromagnetic wave irradiation treatment and/or in-situ focused electromagnetic beam during printing. The overall strength of the final 3D printed part will be dramatically increased and the isotropic mechanical properties of fused filament part will approach or exceed conventionally manufactured counterparts.

Electromagnetic wave-induced localized heating of CNT filled polymer composites for enhanced inter-bead diffusive bonding of fused filament fabricated parts

Growing community of inventors

College Station, TX, United States of America

Charles B Sweeney