LAYERED EMITTER STRUCTURE FOR CRACK RESISTANCE

摘要

A thermal management apparatus includes an electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator in which an emitter electrode (200, 700) and another electrode are energizable to motivate fluid flow. The emitter electrode is a multi - layered structure including an electrode core material (202, 702) and an outermost conductive layer (204, 704) that is susceptible to micro - cracking or corona erosion. A barrier material (203, 708) robust to the adverse effects of a plasma discharge environment is provided as a sublayer to protect the underlying electrode core material following compromise of the conductive layer. An adhesion promoting layer (202, 702, 720) may be used between the barrier material and the electrode core material or between other layers of the structure. A method of making an EHD product includes positioning the multi - layered electrode relative to another electrode to motivate fluid flow when energized.