3D printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithography
Abstract Micrometer scale arbitrary hollow geometries within a solid are needed for a variety of applications including microfluidics, thermal management and metamaterials. A major challenge to 3D printing hollow geometries using stereolithography is the ability to retain empty spaces in between the...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26684-z |
| _version_ | 1827634246916767744 |
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| author | Aftab A. Bhanvadia Richard T. Farley Youngwook Noh Toshikazu Nishida |
| author_facet | Aftab A. Bhanvadia Richard T. Farley Youngwook Noh Toshikazu Nishida |
| author_sort | Aftab A. Bhanvadia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Micrometer scale arbitrary hollow geometries within a solid are needed for a variety of applications including microfluidics, thermal management and metamaterials. A major challenge to 3D printing hollow geometries using stereolithography is the ability to retain empty spaces in between the solidified regions. In order to prevent unwanted polymerization of the trapped resin in the hollow spaces—known as print-through—significant constraints are generally imposed on the primary process parameters such as resin formulation, exposure conditions and layer thickness. Here, we report on a stereolithography process which substitutes the trapped resin with a UV blocking liquid to mitigate print-through. We investigate the mechanism of the developed process and determine guidelines for the formulation of the blocking liquid. The reported method decouples the relationship between the primary process parameters and their effect on print-through. Without having to optimize the primary process parameters to reduce print-through, hollow heights that exceed the limits of conventional stereolithography can be realized. We demonstrate fabrication of a variety of complex hollow geometries with cross-sectional features ranging from tens of micrometer to hundreds of micrometers in size. With the framework presented, this method may be employed for 3D printing functional hollow geometries for a variety of applications, and with improved freedom over the printing process (e.g. material choices, speed and resulting properties of the printed parts). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:10:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55fa6b5da5c643029d817a535051126c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:10:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-55fa6b5da5c643029d817a535051126c2023-11-26T13:21:55ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-01-011311910.1038/s41598-022-26684-z3D printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithographyAftab A. Bhanvadia0Richard T. Farley1Youngwook Noh2Toshikazu Nishida3Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of FloridaNanoptics, Inc.Nanoptics, Inc.Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of FloridaAbstract Micrometer scale arbitrary hollow geometries within a solid are needed for a variety of applications including microfluidics, thermal management and metamaterials. A major challenge to 3D printing hollow geometries using stereolithography is the ability to retain empty spaces in between the solidified regions. In order to prevent unwanted polymerization of the trapped resin in the hollow spaces—known as print-through—significant constraints are generally imposed on the primary process parameters such as resin formulation, exposure conditions and layer thickness. Here, we report on a stereolithography process which substitutes the trapped resin with a UV blocking liquid to mitigate print-through. We investigate the mechanism of the developed process and determine guidelines for the formulation of the blocking liquid. The reported method decouples the relationship between the primary process parameters and their effect on print-through. Without having to optimize the primary process parameters to reduce print-through, hollow heights that exceed the limits of conventional stereolithography can be realized. We demonstrate fabrication of a variety of complex hollow geometries with cross-sectional features ranging from tens of micrometer to hundreds of micrometers in size. With the framework presented, this method may be employed for 3D printing functional hollow geometries for a variety of applications, and with improved freedom over the printing process (e.g. material choices, speed and resulting properties of the printed parts).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26684-z |
| spellingShingle | Aftab A. Bhanvadia Richard T. Farley Youngwook Noh Toshikazu Nishida 3D printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithography Scientific Reports |
| title | 3D printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithography |
| title_full | 3D printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithography |
| title_fullStr | 3D printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithography |
| title_full_unstemmed | 3D printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithography |
| title_short | 3D printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithography |
| title_sort | 3d printing of hollow geometries using blocking liquid substitution stereolithography |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26684-z |
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