Award Abstract #0331830
SGER: Feasibility Study of Nano-Electrochemical Machining Process

NSF Org:	CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation
Initial Amendment Date:	August 6, 2003
Latest Amendment Date:	July 25, 2005
Award Number:	0331830
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	George A. Hazelrigg CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	August 1, 2003
Expires:	January 31, 2006 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$99500
Investigator(s):	Kamlakar Rajurkar krajurkar1@unl.edu (Principal Investigator) Zuyuan Yu (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of Nebraska-Lincoln 312 N 14TH STREET LINCOLN, NE 68588 402/472-1825
NSF Program(s):	NANOMANUFACTURING
Field Application(s):	0308000 Industrial Technology
Program Reference Code(s):	MANU, 9251, 9237, 9178, 9150, 9146
Program Element Code(s):	1788

ABSTRACT

Extensive research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in various fields such as biology,

optics, telecommunication, material and electronics promises novel and sustainable

technologies and products. To fulfill the promise, a set of new manufacturing processes

and manufacturing paradigms are needed for industrial scale production. A recently

conducted NSF workshop on Nonomanufacturing and Processing recommends bottom up

(such as electroforming and assembly) and top down (such as EDM, ECM, laser and

etching) processes as potential technologies for generating 1D, 2D, and 3D

nanostructures and devices.

This SGER proposal seeks funding to study the feasibility of developing a Nano-Electrochemical

Machining (Nano-ECM) process. Electrochemical machining (ECM)

process, an anodic dissolution process, selectively removes material atom by atom and

thus avoids post-processing operations. As ECM is a non-thermal and non-mechanical

contact process, it generates burr-free and stress-free surfaces. Micro-ECM process has

shown to be highly successful in machining arbitrary 3D micro shapes. Therefore, ECM

seems an ideal candidate as one of the top down nanomachining processes. However,

many scientific and technical barriers and associated risks must be considered and

addressed for the realization of Nano-ECM process.

Intellectual Merit:

This study will establish an extensive and comprehensive knowledge base of the state-of-the

art research in electrochemical deposition and dissolution at nanoscale and related

scientific and technical barriers. An attempt will be made to develop a mathematical

model to describe Nano-ECM process by taking into consideration mass transport

process at a very small gap, coupled modes of mass transport, coupling of Faradic

processes and statistical aspects of discrete events of reactions. A Nano-ECM cell will be

assembled using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).

Broader Impacts:

This study will initiate the establishment of an educational and research infrastructure for

Nanomanufacturing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) that will be accessible

to researchers from UNL and other U.S. universities. The success of the project will lead

to the development of a new graduate/undergraduate course on Nanomanufacturing. The

project results will be demonstrated to high school teachers and students on a regular

basis. A collaborative research with researchers at the Warsaw University of Technology

will be planned by simultaneously submitting proposals to US and EU research agencies.

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