The Curious Case of Ni-P-O—Insights for Unusual Materials Printing at the Nanoscale

Expanding the materials selection in nanoscale additive manufacturing (AM) remains a critical aim for venturing into new applications and enhancing functionality through complex integrated components. The electrohydrodynamic redox printing (EHD-RP) technique has already made promising advancements through printing a variety of metals, oxides, and alloys. However, to more deeply understand potential pathways and limitations in pushing EHD-RP to more unusual and extreme materials, we investigate the unusual case of Ni-P-O materials produced with this method. Through printing parameter studies, we highlight the critical conditions necessary for material deposition and elucidate some key insights to the kinetics underlying materials formation from mixed ion-sources. Using a variety of spectroscopy and microscopy techniques, we also highlight the chemistry, structure, and stability of these materials and highlight pathways for functional and multifunctional design. Through the lessons and findings of this particularly curious Ni-P-O system, we uncover new understanding of how to push into new, unusual, and exotic materials at the nanoscale.