Continuous 3D printing from one single droplet

Yu Zhang, Zhichao Dong, Chuxin Li, Huifeng Du, Nicholas X. Fang, Lei Wu () and Yanlin Song ()
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Yu Zhang: Key Laboratory of Green Printing, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhichao Dong: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chuxin Li: CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Sciences, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Huifeng Du: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Nicholas X. Fang: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lei Wu: Key Laboratory of Green Printing, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yanlin Song: Key Laboratory of Green Printing, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract 3D printing has become one of the most promising methods to construct delicate 3D structures. However, precision and material utilization efficiency are limited. Here, we propose a one-droplet 3D printing strategy to fabricate controllable 3D structures from a single droplet ascribing to the receding property of the three-phase contact line (TCL) of the resin droplet. The well-controlled dewetting force of liquid resin on the cured structure results in the minimization of liquid residue and the high wet and net material utilization efficiency in forming a droplet into a 3D structure. Additionally, extra curing induced protruding or stepped sidewalls under high printing speed, which require high UV intensity, can be prevented. The critical is the free contact surface property of the droplet system with the introduction of the receding TCL, which increased the inner droplet liquid circulation and reduces the adhesion properties among the liquid resin, cured resin, and resin vat.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18518-1

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