Papers by Author: K. Karan

Abstract: This investigation considers the development of microchannel reactors with catalystcoated walls for fuel-processing applications. In particular, the focus is to study the possibility of direct etching of microchannels into aluminum and alumina using a solid-state UV laser. Microchannels of a scale between 10μm-200μm across and 10μm-100μm have been ablated into aluminum and alumina bases. It was found that single scans resulted in narrow channels (20μm- 30μm in width) with shapes described by a Gaussian-like distribution. Multiple scans allowed fabrication of channels with a larger width, but of a similar depth. The surface quality was observed to be quite uneven, with roughness on the order of 1μm-2μm.