G-Spinning: Proof of Concept- A New Tunable Process to Manufacture Metal Structures

Author

Eliseo Balderas, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Date of Award

8-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Kamal Sarkar

Second Advisor

Horacio Vasquez

Third Advisor

Arturo Fuentes

Abstract

We have developed a novel tunable metal melting process that can be used to create Ultra Fine Grain (UFG) metal structures, or nano-scale dendritic structures, or amorphous metals by controlling several identified process parameters. The process is a variation of the early eighties’ technology called Metglas ®, developed at MIT (Dr. Ranjan Roy) and perfected at Allied Signal (now Honeywell) in the eighties. We call this improved tunable process, G Spinning, since it was initially developed to make metal nanomaterials by the co-inventor of Forcespinning TM (F-spinning).

In this process, we used an induction heater to melt the metal and push the molten metal through a nozzle (like Forcespinning TM) that is made of a magnetic material like 410 SS or 1018 CR. The molten metal is collected in a controlled environment, typically around 100°C, on a rotating steel disk at a specified RPM dictated by the target metal structure. It may be noted that these process parameters and materials are the control parameters to get the desired structures. These include, among other things, the temperature of molten metal, air (or inert gas) pressure exerted, the nozzle material and diameter, the temperature and compositional gas of the environmental chamber, the rotating speed of the collector, and its material.

In our experiments, we have used a commercially available pure aluminum rod with a typical diameter of 1/8”. Other metals and alloys can be used in this method.

By controlling some of these parameters for aluminum rods, we successfully created UFG structures of aluminum that are a challenge to make by conventional manufacturing processes. In one case, we got consistent 10-micron-size grains of aluminum (Figs. 45 and 46). In another case, smeared grain structures that are similar to amorphous metal (Fig. 51). We also observed nanostructured features in other situations (Fig. 41).

Additional advantages of this proposed method include scalability and economics. It is a relatively simple setup done in a modest engineering lab with undergraduate students. The economic potential of this novel process is significant. An appropriate RoI (Record of Invention) has been submitted to the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley.

Comments

Copyright 2025 Eliseo Balderas. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3253951779

Recommended Citation

Balderas, E. (2025). G-spinning: Proof of concept- A new tunable process to manufacture metal structures [Master's thesis, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley]. ScholarWorks @ UTRGV. https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/etd/1759