Pulsed nano surfacing methods

Abstract

A system or method to fabricate a nano surface on a conductive device, including a high voltage DC power source, a pulse generator connected to the power source, a fluid container, in which the electrolyte solution is placed and a cathode and an anode. The anode may be the conductive device and the anode and cathode are connected to the pulse generator with both being positioned within the fluid container and submerged in the electrolyte solution. The delivery of nanosecond pulses of electricity to the electrodes nanosurface the conductive material. The disclosure further includes methods to create a nano surface or texture on a conductive device having for example the steps of cleaning or pretreating the conductive device.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of modifying a surface on a conductive device comprising:
 providing a pulse generator, wherein the pulse generator is connected to a power source;   providing a fluid container, wherein an electrolyte solution is placed within the fluid container;   providing a cathode and an anode, wherein the anode or the cathode is coupled to the conductive device and the cathode and the anode are connected to the pulse generator and both the cathode and the anode are in contact with the electrolyte solution in the fluid container; and   delivering 10 to 1000 nanosecond electric pulses between the anode and the cathode,   wherein the electric pulses remove material from the surface of the device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse is from about 1 to 100 volts. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse is from about 100 to 300,000 volts. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse is greater than 300,000 volts. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse has a frequency of about 0.001 Hz to 1000 Hz. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a total electric pulse count is about 10 to 100,000,000 total pulses. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse is from about 10 to 10,000 amps. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse creates a current density through the surface of the device from about 100 to 1000 Amps/cm 2 . 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse creates an electric field around the device from about 1 to 100 volts/cm. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric pulse creates an electric field around the device from about 100 to 100,000 volts/cm. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removed material is about 0.01% to about 100% of the surface of the device, and wherein the removed material creates a surface texture on the device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte solution is one of at least aqueous, a solvent, or aprotic. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte solution has at least one of an acidic pH or a basic pH. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surface texture is controlled by at least one of an electric pulse duration, a total number of electric pulses, a concentration of the electrolyte solution or a voltage of the electric pulses. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surface texture enhances catalyst performance. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is treated with at least one of acid etching, passivation, anodizing or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of material removed ranges from less than 1 nanometer to about 50,000 nanometers. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surface texture comprises structures ranging from about 1 to about 1000 nanometers in one or more dimensions in one or more dimensions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surface texture is at least one of hydrophilic or hydrophobic. 
     
     
         20 . A method to create a nano surface on a conductive device, the method comprising:
 cleaning the surface of the conductive device by at least one of ultrasound, plasma cleaning, light acid etching, electropolishing or ultraviolet light;   creating on the conductive device a micro-scale and/or macroscale texture using at least one of acid etching, mechanical grinding, shot peening, conventional DC anodization, 3D printing or high polish passivation;   placing the conductive device into an electrolyte solution, wherein the electrolytic solution is at least one of 0.1M to 1M NaF, 0.2% to 2% HCl, 0.1% HF, or 0.1M NaCl, or a combination of a sequential application of the same; and   applying electric pulses and passivating the conductive device.   
     
     
         22 . A system to fabricate a nano surface on a conductive device, the system comprising:
 a high voltage DC power source;   a conductive device;   a pulse generator, wherein the pulse generator is connected to the power source;   a fluid container, wherein an electrolyte solution is placed within the fluid container; and   a cathode and an anode, wherein the anode is coupled to the conductive device, and   wherein the anode and cathode are coupled to the pulse generator and both are positioned within the fluid container with the device and wherein the pulse generator is configured to provide electric pulses to fabricate the nano surface.