A new technique for micro-patterning of nanoparticles on non-conductive substrate by low frequency AC electrophoresis

摘要

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has been known as a cost-effective and simple method in shaping or coating ceramic parts. Usefulness of this electrically driven method becomes more pronounced when it is applied for manipulating nanosize materials. Our findings in this area have showed that nanoparticle manipulation with EPD method is possible through applying low frequency alternating current (AC) electric fields. In our previous work, we explained how nanoparticles fill the non-conductive gap between two in-plane electrodes at frequency of 1 Hz. In this work, we used the similar idea to deposit TiO_2 nanoparticles on non-conductive Alumina base in direction parallel to the electrode edge. The length and width of TiO_2 deposited line was in the order of micrometer and coherency of deposited layer was good. It was concluded that with designing different electrode shapes, micro-patterning of ceramic nanoparticles on different substrates via low frequency AC electrophoretic deposition is possible.