Manufacturing processes for microscale metallic hollow structures: numerical investigation and analysis

Hollow metallic structures exhibit extensive applications in the fields of lightweight and energy storage. Nevertheless, fabricating reliable and durable hollow structures at sub-100 μm scales remains challenging. To gain deeper insights into the experimental parameters of hollow structures fabricated via meniscus-confined electrodeposition (MCED), we employed finite element simulation software to numerically model and analyzed the deposition process. This study investigated the influence of parameters, voltage, environmental humidity, and microglass tube diameter, on the formation of hollow structures, thereby guiding subsequent experimental designs. Finally, by applying high voltage, low ambient humidity, and larger microglass tube diameters, the feasibility of directly manufacturing hollow structures smaller than 100 μm in a single step was confirmed using MCED technology. The findings will facilitate the extension of this technique to the deposition of other advanced materials exhibiting tailored microstructures and properties, rendering it highly suitable for diverse applications in fields including aerospace and automotive industries.