In a method for ejecting droplets of a molten metal, the metal is an alloy including a first metal and a second metal. During a jetting operation, the second metal segregates from the first metal. A method of using such alloy is also disclosed herein.

A jetting device includes: a fluid chamber connected to a nozzle and containing an electrically conductive liquid to be jetted out through the nozzle; a magnetic field generator arranged to create a magnetic field in the fluid chamber; a pair of electrodes contacting the electrically conductive liquid in the fluid chamber; and a controller arranged to control a flow of an electric current through the electrodes and the electrically conductive liquid. The magnetic field generator is arranged to create a rotating magnetic field in the fluid chamber.

A printer is configured to provide a stream of extraction gas that extracts a printing fluid from a printing nozzle. An electrode produces an electric field that accelerates the extracted printing fluid toward a printing substrate. The printer can be configured to selectively turn the electric field and the stream of extraction gas off and on to enable printing in a gas-extraction mode, an e-assisted gas-extraction mode, or an e-jet mode. The stream of gas can be provided by a second nozzle concentric with the printing nozzle, and the electrode can be part of the second nozzle. A third nozzle can discharge a focusing gas around the extracted printing fluid.

An apparatus for generating a droplet of a liquid metal material in a metal additive manufacturing process includes a nozzle configured to eject the droplet of the liquid metal material, the nozzle including a conductive solid. The apparatus also includes a voltage source configured to apply voltage between the conductive solid and the liquid metal material to modify a contact angle between an inner wall of the nozzle and the liquid metal material within the nozzle. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to modify the voltage from the voltage source to modify the contact angle and generate the droplet of the liquid metal material.

Atomic-to-Nanoscale Matter Emission/Flow Regulation Devices, Systems and methods are set forth. An exemplary device can include a through-hole that has a top, and a nozzle configured to facilitate atomic-to-nanoscale matter emission/flow regulation formed in an etchable nozzle substrate. The nozzle can be configured at the smallest cross-section of the through-hole. A bottom can be formed in the nozzle substrate or selectively connected to the nozzle. Systems can include matter transportation/flow regulation columns, printing systems, etching systems and the like through which self-aligned nanodroplets or single-to-finite numbered ionic species/gas phase matter can flow under spontaneous or external excitation conditions (such as voltages) at atmospheric as well as regulated pressures.