Cold-Sprayed Composite Conductors for Low-Density Electrical Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical interconnections rely on high-density metals like copper, which limits the potential for lighter, yet equally conductive materials.
Innovation Solution
A method involving cold spraying of a copper and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite composite, using a controlled system to deposit an electrical conductor on a substrate by heating a gas propellant, propelling the composite at a sufficient velocity for plastic deformation and adherence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copper is used for electrical interconnections, then high electrical conductivity is achieved, but high density is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining copper particles with aluminum particles to create a composite conductor that achieves high electrical conductivity while reducing density. The copper-aluminum composite leverages the high conductivity of copper and the low density of aluminum to resolve the contradiction between conductivity and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by transitioning from pure copper to a copper-aluminum composite with specific particle size distributions and compositional ratios. This parameter change enables the material to achieve both high conductivity and reduced density simultaneously.
2Reliability
If cold spraying is used to deposit electrical conductor, then lower density and enhanced conductivity are achieved, but complex process control is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback control through optical sensors that monitor coating thickness in real-time during the cold spraying process. The system uses this feedback to dynamically adjust spray parameters, ensuring consistent deposition quality and reducing the complexity of manual process control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control of the spraying process with an automated optical sensing and control system. This substitution reduces operator burden and process variability while maintaining precise control over the deposition parameters.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces an electrical conductor with enhanced conductivity and lower density, suitable for applications in aircraft sustainment and repair, by utilizing a copper matrix with dispersed highly oriented pyrolytic graphite platelets.
Implementation Method 1
directing the solid powder composition towards the substrate at a velocity sufficient to cause the solid powder composition to undergo plastic deformation and to adhere to the substrate
Implementation Method 2
heating a gas propellant, propelling a solid powder composition that includes copper and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite using the heated gas propellant
Data Source
AI summary
A system for spraying a coating material to a substrate includes an optical sensor that monitors a thickness, a controller that generates a first signal corresponding to an amount of gas propellant to be heated, a second signal corresponding to a temperature to which the gas propellant is to be heated, a third signal corresponding to an amount of a solid powder composition to be mixed with the heated gas, and a fourth signal corresponding to a distance between the nozzle and the substrate, a first regulator that supplies an amount of gas propellant corresponding to the first signal, a heater that heats the gas propellant to the temperature corresponding to the second signal, a second regulator that supplies an amount of solid powder composition corresponding to the third signal, and an actuator that moves the nozzle corresponding to the fourth signal.