Evaporative and Wicking Functionalities at Hot Airflows of Laser Nano-/Microstructured Ti-6Al-4V Material.

A novel multifunctional material with efficient wicking and evaporative functionalities was fabricated using hierarchical surface nano-/microstructuring by femtosecond laser micromachining. The created material exhibits excellent multifunctional performance. Our experiments in a wind tunnel demonstrate its good wicking and evaporative functionalities under the conditions of high-temperature airflows. An important finding of this work is the significantly enhanced evaporation rate of the created material compared with the free water surface. The obtained results provide a platform for the practical implementation of Maisotsenko-cycle cooling technologies for substantially increasing efficiency in power generation, thermal management, and other evaporation-based technologies. The developed multifunctional material demonstrates long-lasting wicking and evaporative functionalities that are resistant to degradation under high-temperature airflows, indicating its suitability for practical applications.

Superwicking Functionality of Femtosecond Laser Textured Aluminum at High Temperatures.

An advanced superwicking aluminum material based on a microgroove surface structure textured with both laser-induced periodic surface structures and fine microholes was produced by direct femtosecond laser nano/microstructuring technology. The created material demonstrates excellent wicking performance in a temperature range of 23 to 120 °C. The experiments on wicking dynamics show a record-high velocity of water spreading that achieves about 450 mm/s at 23 °C and 320 mm/s at 120 °C when the spreading water undergoes intensive boiling. The lifetime of classic Washburn capillary flow dynamics shortens as the temperature increases up to 80 °C. The effects of evaporation and boiling on water spreading become significant above 80 °C, resulting in vanishing of Washburn's dynamics. Both the inertial and visco-inertial flow regimes are insignificantly affected by evaporation at temperatures below the boiling point of water. The boiling effect on the inertial regime is small at 120 °C; however, its effect on the visco-inertial regime is essential. The created material with effective wicking performance under water boiling conditions can find applications in Maisotsenko cycle (M-cycle) high-temperature heat/mass exchangers for enhancing power generation efficiency that is an important factor in reducing CO2 emissions and mitigation of the global climate change.

Spreading and Drying Dynamics of Water Drop on Hot Surface of Superwicking Ti-6Al-4V Alloy Material Fabricated by Femtosecond Laser.

A superwicking Ti-6Al-4V alloy material with a hierarchical capillary surface structure was fabricated using femtosecond laser. The basic capillary surface structure is an array of micropillars/microholes. For enhancing its capillary action, the surface of the micropillars/microholes is additionally structured by regular fine microgrooves using a technique of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), providing an extremely strong capillary action in a temperature range between 23 °C and 80 °C. Due to strong capillary action, a water drop quickly spreads in the wicking surface structure and forms a thin film over a large surface area, resulting in fast evaporation. The maximum water flow velocity after the acceleration stage is found to be 225-250 mm/s. In contrast to other metallic materials with surface capillarity produced by laser processing, the wicking performance of which quickly degrades with time, the wicking functionality of the material created here is long-lasting. Strong and long-lasting wicking properties make the created material suitable for a large variety of practical applications based on liquid-vapor phase change. Potential significant energy savings in air-conditioning and cooling data centers due to application of the material created here can contribute to mitigation of global warming.

Temperature Effect on Capillary Flow Dynamics in 1D Array of Open Nanotextured Microchannels Produced by Femtosecond Laser on Silicon.

Capillary flow of water in an array of open nanotextured microgrooves fabricated by femtosecond laser processing of silicon is studied as a function of temperature using high-speed video recording. In a temperature range of 23-80 °C, the produced wicking material provides extremely fast liquid flow with a maximum velocity of 37 cm/s in the initial spreading stage prior to visco-inertial regime. The capillary performance of the material enhances with increasing temperature in the inertial, visco-inertial, and partially in Washburn flow regimes. The classic universal Washburn's regime is observed at all studied temperatures, giving the evidence of its universality at high temperatures as well. The obtained results are of great significance for creating capillary materials for applications in cooling of electronics, energy harvesting, enhancing the critical heat flux of industrial boilers, and Maisotsenko cycle technologies.

Optical Third Harmonic Generation Using Nickel Nanostructure-Covered Microcube Structures.

We investigated the optical third harmonic generation (THG) signal from nanostructure-covered microcubes on Ni. We found that the hierarchical structures greatly change the third-order optical nonlinearity of the metallic surface. While the symmetry and lightning rod (LR) effects on microstructures did not significantly influence the THG, the localized surface plasmon (LSP) effect on the nanostructures enhanced it. By removing the nanostructures on the hierarchical structures, THG intensity could be strongly suppressed. In the present paper, we also discuss the mechanism that enhances THG in nano/micro structures.

Direct visualization of the complete evolution of femtosecond laser-induced surface structural dynamics of metals.

Despite extensive studies of femtosecond laser-material interactions, even the simplest morphological responses following femtosecond pulse irradiation have not been fully resolved. Past studies have revealed only partial dynamics. Here we develop a zero-background and high-contrast scattered-light-based optical imaging technique through which we capture, for the first time, the complete temporal and spatial evolution of the femtosecond laser-induced morphological surface structural dynamics of metals from start to finish, that is, from the initial transient surface fluctuations, through melting and ablation, to the end of resolidification. We find that transient surface structures first appear at a delay time on the order of 100 ps, which is attributed to ablation driven by pressure relaxation in the surface layer. The formation dynamics of the surface structures at different length scales are individually resolved, and the sequence of their appearance changes with laser fluence is found. Cooling and complete resolidification, observed here for the first time, are shown to occur more slowly than previously predicted by two orders of magnitude. We examine and identify the mechanisms driving each of these dynamic steps. The visualization and control of morphological surface structural dynamics not only are of fundamental importance for understanding femtosecond laser-induced material responses but also pave the way for the design of new material functionalities through surface structuring.

[Influence of intra-pulpal temperature when using femtosecond laser in specific parameters to prepare cavities in tooth enamel: an in vitro study].

OBJECTIVE: To take the Real-time measurement of the intra-pulpal temperature (IPT) when using femtosecond laser in specific parameters to prepare cavities in tooth enamel in vitro, and to preliminarily evaluate the effect of air cooling. METHODS: All pulp champers of extracted human teeth (premolars and molars) were exposed by roots amputated and pulp scraped out. All chambers were tightly filled with copper powder, and thermocouple was inserted into the center of the powder stack. The bottom of the chamber was sealed with insulating tape. Thermocouple wire was fixed at the same time. The 2.25 mm×2.25 mm square cavities were prepared using femtosecond laser in the enamel with the average scan speed of 0.4 mm/s. The real-time IPT change was measured with thermocouple digital thermometer. Air cooling was added to the procedure once the temperature increased to reach a balance. RESULTS: The IPT rising was defined as ΔT . Before the usage of air cooling, the maximum of the ΔT value of the sample premolar was 12.3 °C. After using air cooling, the IPT decreased and ΔT value became 3.0 °C . The maximum of ΔT of the sample molar before using air cooling was 1.8 °C , and decreased to -0.1 °C after it. CONCLUSION: When preparing a cavity whose average depth is about 250 µm by femtosecond laser system in specific parameters, the IPT rises while the depth increass, but it could be controlled effectively by air cooling.

[Femtosecond pulsed laser ablation of dental hard tissues with numerical control: a roughness and morphology study].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the femtosecond laser experimental platform in vitro for numerical controlled cavity preparation, and to evaluate the roughness quantitatively and observe the microscopic morphology of the cutting surface. METHODS: Enamel and dentin planes were prepared on human third molars. A universal motion controller was used to control the samples to do rectangle wave motion perpendicular to the incident direction of the laser at focus. The surface roughness was observed with confocal laser scanning microscope. RESULTS: Precise ablation of the dental hard tissues can be achieved with the established femtosecond laser numerical control platform. For enamel, the surface roughness of the cavity inside laser scanning line was 7.173 µm at the bottom and 2.675 µm on the wall of the cavity. The surface roughness of the cavity between laser scanning lines was 13.667 µm at the bottom and 33.927 µm on the wall. For dentin, the surface roughness of the cavity bottom was 51.182 µm and 25.629 µm for the wall. Scanning electron microscope images showed no micro-cracks or carbonization on enamel, while carbonization, cracks and a small amount of crystalline particles were observed on dentin. CONCLUSIONS: Precise tooth preparation can be achieved with femtosecond laser numerical control flatform. The surface roughness of cavity wall was less than that of the bottom and can meet the clinical needs. Suitable femtosecond laser output power should be set for different cutting objects, otherwise it may result in tissue damages.