Biotinylated Photopolymers for 3D‐Printed Unibody Lab‐on‐a‐Chip Optical Platforms

The present work reports the first demonstration of straightforward fabrication of monolithic unibody lab‐on‐a‐chip (ULOCs) integrating bioactive micrometric 3D scaffolds by means of multimaterial stereolithography (SL). To this end, a novel biotin‐conjugated photopolymer is successfully synthesized and optimally formulated to achieve high‐performance SL‐printing resolution, as demonstrated by the SL‐fabrication of biotinylated structures smaller than 100 µm. By optimizing a multimaterial single‐run SL‐based 3D‐printing process, such biotinylated microstructures are incorporated within perfusion microchambers whose excellent optical transparency enables real‐time optical microscopy analyses. Standard biotin‐binding assays confirm the existence of biotin‐heads on the surfaces of the embedded 3D microstructures and allow to demonstrate that the biofunctionality of biotin is not altered during the SL‐printing, thus making it exploitable for further conjugation with other biomolecules. As a step forward, an in‐line optical detection system is designed, prototyped via SL‐printing and serially connected to the perfusion microchambers through customized world‐to‐chip connectors. Such detection system is successfully employed to optically analyze the solution flowing out of the microchambers, thus enabling indirect quantification of the concentration of target interacting biomolecules. The successful application of this novel biofunctional photopolymer as SL‐material enables to greatly extend the versatility of SL to directly fabricate ULOCs with intrinsic biofunctionality.     

PBS增韧改性MWNTs/PLA导电3D 打印耗材的制备及性能

为解决多壁碳纳米管/聚乳酸(MWNTs/PLA)导电打印耗材变脆的问题,本文利用双螺杆熔融共混方法,制备了聚丁二酸丁二醇酯(PBS)增韧改性的MWNTs/PLA复合材料。研究发现,PBS添加量对复合材料的性能有显著影响。随PBS含量增加,复合材料的电阻率升高,断裂伸长率和冲击强度明显提高,但拉伸强度、弯曲强度和硬度有所降低。当PBS含量为10%时,共混复合材料的综合性能最好,并根据最佳条件制成具有一定韧性的导电3D打印耗材,实际使用效果良好。     

3D Printed Graphene-Based Metamaterials: Guesting Multi-Functionality in One Gain

Advanced functional materials with fascinating properties and extended structural design have greatly broadened their applications. Metamaterials, exhibiting unprecedented physical properties (mechanical, electromagnetic, acoustic, etc.), are considered frontiers of physics, material science, and engineering. With the emerging 3D printing technology, the manufacturing of metamaterials becomes much more convenient. Graphene, due to its superior properties such as large surface area, superior electrical/thermal conductivity, and outstanding mechanical properties, shows promising applications to add multi-functionality into existing metamaterials for various applications. In this review, the aim is to outline the latest developments and applications of 3D printed graphene-based metamaterials. The structure design of different types of metamaterials and the fabrication strategies for 3D printed graphene-based materials are first reviewed. Then the representative explorations of 3D printed graphene-based metamaterials and multi-functionality that can be introduced with such a combination are further discussed. Subsequently, challenges and opportunities are provided, seeking to point out future directions of 3D printed graphene-based metamaterials.     

一种3D打印立体光刻快速成型光敏树脂的制备及性能研究

报道了一种应用于3D打印立体光刻快速成型的3DPSL-1型光敏树脂制备方法,并对该光敏树脂性能进行了研究。研究结果表明,该光敏树脂透射深度(Dp)为0.14 mm,临界曝光量(EC)为14.1 m J/cm2,30℃时,黏度为359 m Pa·s。在25℃,3DPSL-1型光敏树脂密度为1.17 g/cm3,固化后的密度为1.21 g/cm3,固化体积收缩率为3.31%。该光敏树脂固化物样条拉伸强度为21.0 MPa,弹性模量为1 108.2 MPa,断裂伸长率为10.6%,该固化物的玻璃化温度为47℃。把该光敏树脂作为打印材料应用于3D打印立体光刻快速成型设备上制作了活动钳子这个零件,其制作效果较好。该光敏树脂的研制将对推动国内3D打印立体光刻快速成型技术的进一步发展起到较好的积极作用。     

3D打印制备多孔结构的研究与应用现状

多孔结构材料具有优异的物理、力学性能,应用领域广泛。目前,已开发出的多孔结构的制备方法种类繁多,然而仅少数可实现批量生产,大多数方法工艺较为复杂,并且在制备过程中难以对多孔结构进行有效控制,以致所得多孔结构仍存在某些性能方面的不足。3D打印技术的发展与应用为多孔结构的制备带来了新的途径,所制备的多孔结构可同时具备宏观孔隙和微观孔隙,其骨架及宏观孔隙可以根据需要进行设计。可用于制备多孔结构的3D打印方法主要有利用激光能量的选择性激光烧结法(SLS)、选择性激光熔化法(SLM)和激光近净成形法(LENS)等方法,利用电子束能量的电子束熔化(EBM)法,喷射粘结剂的三维印刷(3DP)法,材料挤出类中的熔融沉积成形(FDM)法和三维浆丝沉积(3DF)法,以及间接3D打印法。近年来,国内外学者对采用这些方法制备多孔结构开展了一定的研究,以期找到适合具体情况的3D打印方法及相应合理的工艺规范,从而提高制件的性能。采用SLS、SLM和LENS法,通过控制激光扫描轨迹和粉末烧结程度可以获得材料的宏观和微观孔隙。SLS法可制备的多孔结构材料种类较广,SLM和LENS法主要用于制备金属多孔结构。EBM法与SLM法类似,但EBM法需要在真空环境下成形,可用于制备Ti等活泼金属材料。适用于3DP法的粉末材料种类更广,可选用不同的粘结剂和相应的后处理方法,其工艺灵活性大。FDM法一般用于低熔点热塑性材料,通过熔融挤出而堆积成宏观多孔结构。3DF法以粉末浆料的形式挤出成形,适用的材料种类比FDM法广,得到的结构具有宏观和微观孔隙。FDM和3DF法的打印精度和孔隙尺寸受喷嘴打印能力的限制。间接法先利用某种便捷的3D打印方法制备出多孔结构原模,再将该原模经粉末冶金、浇注等方法制得所需的多孔结构材料,这样可以避免3D打印直接制备某些材料的多孔结构在结构特征方面受到的限制。上述这些方法中,由于激光和电子束的能量集中,故SLM和EBM法制备的多孔结构相对于其他方法更精细。3D打印制备多孔结构时孔隙的形成机理可以总结为:制件内打印轨迹未到达的区域形成的宏观设计孔隙、制件骨架内的粘结剂被加热分解或被溶解而去除后形成的孔隙、气体溶解在烧结过程中的熔融金属内形成的孔隙、激光扫描熔迹之间形成的孔隙、粉末颗粒间堆积空隙形成的孔隙。本文对3D打印制备多孔结构的研究与应用现状进行了综述,概述了制备多孔结构的几种主要的3D打印方法,总结了其孔隙的形成机理,介绍了3D打印多孔结构的应用现状,指出了未来需要开展的研究。     

3D Printing All‐Aromatic Polyimides using Mask‐Projection Stereolithography: Processing the Nonprocessable

High‐performance, all‐aromatic, insoluble, engineering thermoplastic polyimides, such as pyromellitic dianhydride and 4,4′‐oxydianiline (PMDA–ODA) (Kapton), exhibit exceptional thermal stability (up to ≈600 °C) and mechanical properties (Young's modulus exceeding 2 GPa). However, their thermal resistance, which is a consequence of the all‐aromatic molecular structure, prohibits processing using conventional techniques. Previous reports describe an energy‐intensive sintering technique as an alternative technique for processing polyimides with limited resolution and part fidelity. This study demonstrates the unprecedented 3D printing of PMDA–ODA using mask‐projection stereolithography, and the preparation of high‐resolution 3D structures without sacrificing bulk material properties. Synthesis of a soluble precursor polymer containing photo‐crosslinkable acrylate groups enables light‐induced, chemical crosslinking for spatial control in the gel state. Postprinting thermal treatment transforms the crosslinked precursor polymer to PMDA–ODA. The dimensional shrinkage is isotropic, and postprocessing preserves geometric integrity. Furthermore, large‐area mask‐projection scanning stereolithography demonstrates the scalability of 3D structures. These unique high‐performance 3D structures offer potential in fields ranging from water filtration and gas separation to automotive and aerospace technologies.     

Conductive and Elastic 3D Helical Fibers for Use in Washable and Wearable Electronics

Due to the intrinsic properties of fabrics, fabric-based wearable systems have certain advantages over elastomeric material-based stretchable electronics. Here, a method to produce highly stretchable, conductive, washable, and solderable fibers that consist of elastic polyurethane (PU) fibers and conductive Cu fibers, which are used as interconnects for wearable electronics, is reported. The 3D helical shape results from stress relaxation of the prestretched PU fiber and the plasticity of the Cu fiber, which provides a predictable way to manipulate the morphology of the 3D fibers. The present fibers have superior mechanical and electrical properties to many other conductive fibers fabricated through different approaches. The 3D helical fibers can be readily integrated with fabrics and other functional components to build fabric-based wearable systems.     

3D Printed Mechanically Robust Graphene/CNT Electrodes for Highly Efficient Overall Water Splitting

3D printing of graphene electrodes with high mechanical strength has been a growing interest in the development of advanced energy, environment, and electronic systems, yet is extremely challenging. Herein, a 3D printed bioinspired electrode of graphene reinforced with 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (3DP GC) with both high flexural strength and hierarchical porous structure is reported via a 3D printing strategy. Mechanics modeling reveals the critical role of the 1D CNTs in the enhanced flexural strength by increasing the friction and adhesion between the 2D graphene nanosheets. The 3DP GC electrodes hold distinct advantages: i) an intrinsically high flexural strength that enables their large-scale applications; and ii) a hierarchical porous structure that offers large surface area and interconnected channels, endowing fast mass and/or charge and ions transport rate, which is thus beneficial for acting as an ideal catalyst carrier. The 3DP GC electrode integrated with a NiFeP nanosheets array exhibits a voltage of 1.58 V at 30 mA cm⁻² as bifunctional electrode for water splitting, which is much better than most of the reported Ni-, Co-, and Fe-based bifunctional electrocatalysts. Importantly, this study paves the way for the practical applications of 3D printed graphene electrodes in many energy conversion/storage, environmental, and electronic systems where high flexural strength is preferred.