Description
Opportunity : Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize the cold spray processes that can be used to make functional magnetic and energy storage materials. Background : Cold spray is a deposition method for forming a material coating on a substrate. The method comprises of (1) pressuring a gas, (2) heating the pressurized gas to a temperature below the melting temperature of the material, and (3) directing a gas stream consisting of the gas and a powder through an outlet of a nozzle toward the substrate such that the powder is deposited onto its surface . Cold spray deposition has been used to deposit magnetic, thermoelectric, templated microstructural, and energy storage materials. Another related technique is cold spray additive manufacturing, which is the sequential fast coating of ceramics and/or metals onto each other with controllable layer thickness. Description : LLNL has co-developed a number of technologies thatuse cold spray deposition that enable new designs for functional materials with low waste. The invention described in U.S. patent application no. 2020/0157689 is a novel method that allows for the cold spray of brittle materials, such as permanent magnets; full density 3D parts that maintain their magnetic properties can be manufactured using this process. U.S. patent application 2022/0148802 describes the use of single or multiple masks and aligning cold-spray particles at a nano and microstructural level in order to tailor the shape of the deposited functional materials. Periodic structures can be created or a single structure can be deposited using a more complicated mask arrangement. By incorporating high-resolution fabrication methods to the cold spray technique, functional materials can be made with enhanced device properties. Additionally, LLNL researchers have developed process steps for cold spraying a cylindrical all solid state battery cell or a stacked cell in which multiple layers are deposited sequentially radially outward starting from an electrode wire or on top of one another, respectively. Advantages/Benefits : Fast and cost effective Resource-efficient (low waste) Enables new designs that had previously not been considered due to limitations in conventional fabrication technology. For production of near net shape magnets, the technology can potentially enable new motor topologies leading to improved efficiencies and higher power to weight ratios For coercive magnets, cold spray enables deposition at near full density in any desired shape on a flexible substrate Using masks with the technology enables small elements to be fabricated across a wide range of substrates that can be flat or have curved geometries. The fine features that are produced are either difficult to achieve or not feasible with current conventional approaches while other competing advanced manufacturing techniques may succeed in attaining the features size, but the fabrication process, destroys the functional properties of the material, or doesn’t allow for manufacturing of the object with near-full density. Potential Applications : Thermoelectric materials Magnetic materials Solvent-free, low-cost, high-throughput manufacturing of anode-free solid-state lithium batteries The potential to extend to multi-material manufacturing of advanced composite materials. Development Status: Current stage of technology development: TRL 2-3 LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention. U.S. Patent Application No. 2020/0157689 COLD SPRAY OF BRITTLE MATERIALS published 5/21/2020 U.S. Patent Application No. 2022/0148802 PRODUCTS AND APPLICATIONS FOR THE TEMPLATED FABRICATION OF MATERIALS USING COLD SPRAY DEPOSITION published 5/12/2022 LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT . Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Functional Material Deposition via Cold Spray Technology should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following: Company Name and address. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology. Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Functional Material Deposition via Cold Spray Technology. The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below. Written responses should be directed to: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Innovation and Partnerships Office P.O. Box 808, L-779 Livermore, CA 94551-0808 Attention: IL-13367Plus