TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Z-pinch Magnetohydrodynamic Metal Jetting

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 its Z-pinch magnetohydrodynamic metal jetting  technology.

Background:

Liquid metal jetting is an additive manufacturing technique in which individual droplets of liquid metal are emitted from a nozzle via a pressure pulse.  The pressure pulse for a liquid metal can be generated via pneumatic pressure, but conducting liquid metals also offer an electromagnetic response that allows for an internally actuated pressure within the metal itself.  This LLNL invention describes such an internally actuated pressure.

Description:

LLNL researchers developed an approach that uses a Z-pinch magnetohydrodynamic (“ZMHD”) pulse as the pressure pulse to emit the liquid metal droplets.  ZMHD produces a large current pulse to traverse a column of conducting liquid metal.  This pulse induces a magnetic field through Ampere’s law, and that field then interacts with the current pulse via the Lorentz force to generate a radially inward pressure.  There are four main components to the apparatus: 

(1) a reservoir to hold the liquid metal

(2) a right-cylindrical pressure chamber that fills with liquid metal via gravity from the reservoir

(3) current electrodes that span the pressure chamber at each end of the long axis of the right cylinder

(4) an orifice opening situated at the bottom-center of the pressure chamber

Advantages/Benefits: 

• Value proposition:  Expanded performance of liquid metal jetting printers.
• More control over emission of liquid metal droplets
• Smaller printhead for the 3D printer

Potential Applications: 

• Liquid metal jetting printer

Development Status: 

Current stage of technology development:  TRL 3

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

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. 

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note:  THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT.  Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Z-pinch magnetohydrodynamic metal jetting should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.
2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
3. 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 Z-pinch magnetohydrodynamic liquid metal jetting.

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-13954