Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, alongside Sandia National Laboratories, have designed this method that turns a single, cheap liquid into a material chameleon.
A new 3D printing method, called Crystallinity Regulation in Additive Fabrication of Thermoplastics , has been developed.The method allows the creation of 3D objects with varying mechanical and optical properties — such as hardness and transparency — at the pixel level using a single, inexpensive material.
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, alongside Sandia National Laboratories, have designed this method that turns a single, cheap liquid into a material chameleon. The team even made a realistic replica of a human hand.“We can control molecular-level order in three-dimensional space, and in doing so, completely change the mechanical and optical properties of a material,” said Zak Page, a UT associate professor of chemistry. “And we can do that all from a really simple, inexpensive feedstock by just changing the light intensity. It’s the simplicity at the heart of it that’s really exciting,” added the author. Light-controlled propertiesCRAFT transforms a common liquid resin called cyclooctene into complex solid objects by projecting varying patterns of light through a commercial 3D printer. Under normal circumstances, cyclooctene is just a simple plastic. However, the team discovered that by precisely manipulating light intensity through grayscale images, they could control the material’s “molecular order” as it solidified.With the adjustment of the light’s intensity, researchers can make one part of an object hard and see-through while the part right next to it stays soft and cloudy — all within a single piece.The most immediate impact could be felt in medical schools. Currently, students practicing complex surgeries rely on cadavers, which are expensive, difficult to source, and ethically complex. Another option for students is plastic models that feel nothing like human flesh.CRAFT offers a superior alternative to medical cadavers by simulating the intricate connections between bone, ligament, and muscle within a single model. In fact, the researchers successfully printed a human hand using just one material, precisely tuning it to replicate the distinct textures of skin, ligaments, tendons, and bone.Existing high-end 3D printers often struggle to bond different materials, which leads to structural failure at the joints. But CRAFT creates transitions that mirror natural human tissue. This provides medical students with realistic, durable practice models without the high costs and logistical challenges of sourcing biological specimens.Cheap printing option Beyond medical use, CRAFT can create “bioinspired” materials for energy damping in gear such as helmets and armor, and for soundproofing. Nature is tough because it combines hard and soft layers, as in tree bark. CRAFT does the same, creating materials that absorb impacts and vibrations rather than snapping.In addition, CRAFT improves on previous methods by using simpler resins and standard equipment. While not fully recyclable, it supports sustainability; printed objects can be melted or dissolved in a solvent and recast into new forms, significantly reducing material waste.“DLP or LCD 3D printing, which this method is compatible with, are some of the cheapest printers that you can buy,” Page said. “You can get one of these printers with the capability to do grayscale projection for $1,000 or less and be off to the races printing,” the author added. The work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the Robert A. Welch Foundation.The findings were published in the journal Science on January 29.
3D Printing Biology CRAFT Cyclooctene Human Hand Inventions And Machines
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