Low-Cost Ionic Thruster from Copper-Plated 3D Prints
Studying abroad in Madrid, I joined a multinational engineering club to develop an ionic thrust engine. This type of electric propolsion is mainly seen in aerospace and achieves thrust via ejection of high-energy ions. I spearheaded a low-cost workflow for electroplating 3D prints. Preparing conductive paint, I varied our graphite source, layer thickness, and electrolysis timing. We achieved a modest exit velocity of 1.6 - 1.8 m/s (i.e. 3.6 mph).
