Additive manufacturing of fire‐retardant ethylene‐vinyl acetate

Thermocompression (with also extrusion and injection molding) is a classical polymer shaping manufacturing, but it does not easily allow designing sophisticated shapes without using a complex mold, on the contrary to 3D printing (or polymer additive manufacturing), which is a very flexible technique. Among all 3D printing techniques, fused deposition modeling is of high potential for product manufacturing, with the capability to compete with conventional polymer processing techniques. This is a quite low cost 3D printing technique, but the range of filaments commercially available is limited. However, in some specific 3D printing processes, no filaments are necessary. Polymers pellets feed directly the printing nozzle allowing to investigate many polymeric matrices with no commercial limitation. This is of high interest for the design of flame‐retarded materials, but literature is scarce in that field. In this paper, a comparison between thermocompression and 3D printing processes was performed on both neat ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer and EVA flame retarded with aluminum triHydroxyde (ATH) containing different loadings (30 or 65 wt%) and with expandable graphite (EG), ie, EVA/ATH (30 wt%), EVA/ATH (65 wt%), and EVA/EG (10 wt%), respectively. Morphological comparisons, using microscopic and electronic microprobe analyses, revealed that 3D printed plates have lower apparent density and higher porosity than thermocompressed plate. The fire‐retardant properties of thermocompressed and 3D printed plates were then evaluated using mass loss calorimeter test at 50 kW/m². Results highlight that 3D printing can be used to produce flame‐retardant systems. This work is a pioneer study exploring the feasibility of using polymer additive manufacturing technology for designing efficient flame‐retarded materials.     

An investigation into compressive responses of shape memory polymeric cellular lattice structures fabricated by vat polymerization additive manufacturing

A combination of additive manufacturing techniques with shape memory materials, so that the shape, property, or functionality of a 3D printed structure can change as a function of time, has recently created new progress in 4D printing. Low-density lattice structures, due to their unique mechanical properties and engineering characteristics, have been candidates for lightweight structures and energy absorbing applications. In the present work, Rhombic and Body-Centered Cubic (BCC) cellular lattice structures, as well as cylindrical bulk samples, were designed and fabricated with Digital Light Process (DLP) by using shape memory resin. The energy absorption of SMP samples was studied in terms of the capabilities of absorption and recovery. In addition, deformation mechanisms of the structures, the influence of strain rate, cyclic behavior and the strain recovery of the structures after each cycle were investigated. All the studies were done in three different cold, warm and hot programming schemes to evaluate the effects of temperature on shape memory effect of the products. Although both structures showed nearly the same strain recovery rates at all conditions, Rhombic structure was found to possess better functional and structural behaviors than BCC lattice in terms of strength, stiffness, and absorption as well as recovery of the induced energy.     

Advanced Polymer Designs for Direct-Ink-Write 3D Printing

The rapid development of additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is driving innovations in polymer chemistry, materials science, and engineering. Among current 3D printing techniques, direct ink writing (DIW) employs viscoelastic materials as inks, which are capable of constructing sophisticated 3D architectures at ambient conditions. In this perspective, polymer designs that meet the rheological requirements for direct ink writing are outlined and successful examples are summarized, which include the development of polymer micelles, co-assembled hydrogels, supramolecularly cross-linked systems, polymer liquids with microcrystalline domains, and hydrogels with dynamic covalent cross-links. Furthermore, advanced polymer designs that reinforce the mechanical properties of these 3D printing materials, as well as the integration of functional moieties to these materials are discussed to inspire new polymer designs for direct ink writing and broadly 3D printing.     

It's in the Fine Print: Erasable Three‐Dimensional Laser‐Printed Micro‐ and Nanostructures

3D printing, on all scales, is currently a vibrant topic in scientific and industrial research as it has enormous potential to radically change manufacturing. Owing to the inherent nature of the manufacturing process, 3D printed structures may require additional material to structurally support complex features. Such support material must be removed after printing—sometimes termed subtractive manufacturing—without adversely affecting the remaining structure. An elegant solution is the use of photoresists containing labile bonds that allow for controlled cleavage with specific triggers. Herein, we explore state‐of‐the‐art cleavable photoresists for 3D direct laser writing, as well as their potential to combine additive and subtractive manufacturing in a hybrid technology. We discuss photoresist design, feature resolution, cleavage properties, and current limitations of selected examples. Furthermore, we share our perspective on possible labile bonds, and their corresponding cleavage trigger, which we believe will have a critical impact on future applications and expand the toolbox of available cleavable photoresists.     

Multifunctional properties of 3D printed poly(lactic acid)/graphene nanocomposites by fused deposition modeling

In this work, three-dimensional (3D) printing system based on fused deposition modeling (FDM) is used for the fabrication of conductive polymer nanocomposites. This technology consists in the additive multilayer deposition of polymeric nanocomposite based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and graphene by means of a in house made low-cost commercial bench-top 3D printer. Further, 3D printed PLA/graphene nanocomposites containing 10 wt% graphene in PLA matrix were characterized for their mechanical, electrical and electromagnetic induction shielding properties of the nanocomposite. Furthermore X-ray computed micro-tomography analyses showed that printed samples have good dimensional accuracy and are significantly closer to the predefined design and the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) printed samples showed a uniform dispersion of graphene in PLA matrix The proposed material has uniquely advantageous when implemented in 3D printed structures, because incorporation of multifunctional graphene has been shown to substantially improve the properties of the resulting nanocomposite.     

4D Printing based piezoelectric composite for medical applications

Additive manufacturing (AM), otherwise known as three‐dimensional (3D) printing, is driving major innovations in many areas, such as engineering, manufacturing, art, education, and medicine. Although a considerable amount of progress has been made in this field, additional research work is required to overcome various remaining challenges. Recently, one of the actively researched areas lies in the AM of smart materials and structures. Electroactive materials incorporated in 3D printing have given birth to 4D printing, where 3D printed structures can perform as actuating and/or sensing systems, making it possible to deliver electrical signals under external mechanical stimuli and vice versa. In this paper, we present a lightweight, low cost piezoelectric material based on the dispersion of inorganic ferroelectric submicron particles in a polymer matrix. We report on how the proposed material is compatible with the AM process. Finally, we discuss its potential applications for healthcare, especially in smart implants prostheses. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 109–115     

Feasibility and Biocompatibility of 3D‐Printed Photopolymerized and Laser Sintered Polymers for Neuronal,Myogenic, and Hepatic Cell Types

The integration of additive manufacturing (AM) technology within biological systems holds significant potential, specifically when refining the methods utilized for the creation of in vitro models. Therefore, examination of cellular interaction with the physical/physicochemical properties of 3D‐printed polymers is critically important. In this work, skeletal muscle (C₂C₁₂), neuronal (SH‐SY5Y) and hepatic (HepG2) cell lines are utilized to ascertain critical evidence of cellular behavior in response to 3D‐printed candidate polymers: Clear‐FL (stereolithography, SL), PA‐12 (laser sintering, LS), and VeroClear (PolyJet). This research outlines initial critical evidence for a framework of polymer/AM process selection when 3D printing biologically receptive scaffolds, derived from industry standard, commercially available AM instrumentation. C₂C₁₂, SH‐SY5Y, and HepG2 cells favor LS polymer PA‐12 for applications in which cellular adherence is necessitated. However, cell type specific responses are evident when cultured in the chemical leachate of photopolymers (Clear‐FL and VeroClear). With the increasing prevalence of 3D‐printed biointerfaces, the development of rigorous cell type specific biocompatibility data is imperative. Supplementing the currently limited database of functional 3D‐printed biomaterials affords the opportunity for experiment‐specific AM process and polymer selection, dependent on biological application and intricacy of design features required.     

Effects of Processing Parameters of 3D Bioprinting on the Cellular Activity of Bioinks

In this review, few established cell printing techniques along with their parameters that affect the cell viability during bioprinting are considered. 3D bioprinting is developed on the principle of additive manufacturing using biomaterial inks and bioinks. Different bioprinting methods impose few challenges on cell printing such as shear stress, mechanical impact, heat, laser radiation, etc., which eventually lead to cell death. These factors also cause alteration of cells phenotype, recoverable or irrecoverable damages to the cells. Such challenges are not addressed in detail in the literature and scientific reports. Hence, this review presents a detailed discussion of several cellular bioprinting methods and their process‐related impacts on cell viability, followed by probable mitigation techniques. Most of the printable bioinks encompass cells within hydrogel as scaffold material to avoid the direct exposure of the harsh printing environment on cells. However, the advantages of printing with scaffold‐free cellular aggregates over cell‐laden hydrogels have emerged very recently. Henceforth, optimal and favorable crosslinking mechanisms providing structural rigidity to the cell‐laden printed constructs with ideal cell differentiation and proliferation, are discussed for improved understanding of cell printing methods for the future of organ printing and transplantation.     

Three‐Dimensional Printing with Biomass‐Derived PEF for Carbon‐Neutral Manufacturing

Biomass‐derived poly(ethylene‐2,5‐furandicarboxylate) (PEF) has been used for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. A complete cycle from cellulose to the printed object has been performed. The printed PEF objects created in the present study show higher chemical resistance than objects printed with commonly available materials (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), glycol‐modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PETG)). The studied PEF polymer has shown key advantages for 3D printing: optimal adhesion, thermoplasticity, lack of delamination and low heat shrinkage. The high thermal stability of PEF and relatively low temperature that is necessary for extrusion are optimal for recycling printed objects and minimizing waste. Several successive cycles of 3D printing and recycling were successfully shown. The suggested approach for extending additive manufacturing to carbon‐neutral materials opens a new direction in the field of sustainable development.     

3D打印生物医用材料研究进展

3D打印(亦称增材制造)技术因其独特的材料成型优势,在组织工程、航空航天、汽车制造、以及电子工业等众多领域显示出巨大的应用潜力。然而,在实际生物医学应用中,3D打印生物器件和组织器官除了要求具有复杂的结构和优异的生物学性能外,其打印结构的表面性质也需满足某些特定的要求,如3D打印组织骨架和器官必须具有生物相容性、抗菌性及细胞粘附性等。因此,将3D打印与传统表面修饰技术相结合,在不改变材料三维结构的基础上调控其表面生物化学性质,从而赋予3D打印生物骨架器官多功能化,可实现更为广泛的应用。本文以3D打印生物骨架及器官的表面修饰为主要内容对就近年来3D打印生物医用材料的最新研究进展进行了综述。     

Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) Investigation of 3D Printed Parts Produced by CMT Welding Technology

In the field of manufacturing technology an exciting revolution is in progress today. The different methods of the so called additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are under fast developments. Several versions of them are called 3D printing. Less interest has been given to study the corrosion resistance character of the differently made 3D printed metal alloy items. In this work corrosion behaviour of 3D printed AlMg4.5Mn0.7 alloy samples were investigated. Conventional methods like open circuit potential measurements, Tafel plots taking and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) – with pH measuring tungsten micro‐tip and micro‐disc type Pt electrode were used. The metal samples were embedded in epoxy resin. 2D SECM images and line scans were made to see the local changes of oxygen concentration. Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy was used for measuring the metal composition of manufacturing wire and printed sample. The local activity of the surface spots were measured using approach curves recorded in case of ferrocene methanol mediator.     

Three-dimensionally printed electrochemical systems for biomedical analytical applications

Additive manufacturing (3D-printing) has revolutionized many areas of the manufacturing. Three-dimensional printing offers enormous potential to biomedical devices, including electroanalytical systems. The motivation for 3D printing is rapid prototyping and decentralized customizable fabrication of bioanalytical systems in the diverse and remote areas of the globe. We overview the recent trends and discuss the fabrication and applications of 3D printed polymer/carbon and metal electrodes and whole electrochemical systems for biomedical applications and DNA detection. We show that sky is the limit and envision whole analytical systems, including electronics, to be 3D printed in the future for diagnostics in the remote areas of the globe.     

3D打印技术制备生物医用高分子材料的研究进展

3D打印技术能够根据不同患者需要,快速精确制备适合不同患者的个性化生物医用高分子材料,并能同时对材料的微观结构进行精确控制.因此,这种新兴的医用高分子材料制备技术在未来生物医学应用(尤其是组织工程应用)中具有独特的优势.近年来,对于3D打印技术制备生物医用高分子材料的研究开发受到了越来越多的关注.不同的生物相容高分子原料被应用于3D打印技术,而这些3D成型高分子材料被用于体外细胞培养,或动物模型的软组织或硬组织修复中.本文主要介绍了近年来3D打印技术在生物医用高分子材料制备中的研究进展,并对该领域的未来应用和挑战进行了展望.     

Thermoplastic Cellulose-Based Compound for Additive Manufacturing

The increasing environmental awareness is driving towards novel sustainable high-performance materials applicable for future manufacturing technologies like additive manufacturing (AM). Cellulose is abundantly available renewable and sustainable raw material. This work focused on studying the properties of thermoplastic cellulose-based composites and their properties using injection molding and 3D printing of granules. The aim was to maximize the cellulose content in composites. Different compounds were prepared using cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) and commercial cellulose acetate propionate with plasticizer (CP) as polymer matrices, microcellulose (mc) and novel cellulose-ester additives; cellulose octanoate (C8) and cellulose palmitate (C16). The performance of compounds was compared to a commercial poly(lactic acid)-based cellulose fiber containing composite. As a result, CP-based compounds had tensile and Charpy impact strength properties comparable to commercial reference, but lower modulus. CP-compounds showed glass transition temperature (Tg) over 58% and heat distortion temperature (HDT) 12% higher compared to reference. CAP with C16 had HDT 82.1 °C. All the compounds were 3D printable using granular printing, but CAP compounds had challenges with printed layer adhesion. This study shows the potential to tailor thermoplastic cellulose-based composite materials, although more research is needed before obtaining all-cellulose 3D printable composite material with high-performance.     

Additive manufacturing for energy storage: Methods,designs and material selection for customizable 3D printed batteries and supercapacitors

Additive manufacturing and 3D printing in particular have the potential to revolutionize existing fabrication processes, where objects with complex structures and shapes can be built with multifunctional material systems. For electrochemical energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors, 3D printing methods allows alternative form factors to be conceived based on the end use application need in mind at the design stage. Additively manufactured energy storage devices require active materials and composites that are printable, and this is influenced by performance requirements and the basic electrochemistry. The interplay between electrochemical response, stability, material type, object complexity and end use application are key to realising 3D printing for electrochemical energy storage. Here, we summarise recent advances and highlight the important role of methods, designs and material selection for energy storage devices made by 3D printing, which is general to the majority of methods in use currently.     

Pandemic-Driven Development of a Medical-Grade,Economic and Decentralized Applicable Polyolefin Filament for Additive Fused Filament Fabrication

A polyolefin with certified biocompatibility according to USP class VI was used by our group as feedstock for filament-based 3D printing to meet the highest medical standards in order to print personal protective equipment for our university hospital during the ongoing pandemic. Besides the chemical resistance and durability, as well as the ability to withstand steam sterilization, this polypropylene (PP) copolymer is characterized by its high purity, as achieved by highly efficient and selective catalytic polymerization. As the PP copolymer is suited to be printed with all common printers in fused filament fabrication (FFF), it offers an eco-friendly cost–benefit ratio, even for large-scale production. In addition, a digital workflow was established focusing on common desktop FFF printers in the medical sector. It comprises the simulation-based optimization of personalized print objects, considering the inherent material properties such as warping tendency, through to validation of the process chain by 3D scanning, sterilization, and biocompatibility analysis of the printed part. This combination of digital data processing and 3D printing with a sustainable and medically certified material showed great promise in establishing decentralized additive manufacturing in everyday hospital life to meet peaks in demand, supply bottlenecks, and enhanced personalized patient treatment.     

Recent Advances in 3D Printing of Photocurable Polymers: Types,Mechanism, and Tissue Engineering Application

The conversion of liquid resin into solid structures upon exposure to light of a specific wavelength is known as photopolymerization. In recent years, photopolymerization-based 3D printing has gained enormous attention for constructing complex tissue-specific constructs. Due to the economic and environmental benefits of the biopolymers employed, photo-curable 3D printing is considered an alternative method for replacing damaged tissues. However, the lack of suitable bio-based photopolymers, their characterization, effective crosslinking strategies, and optimal printing conditions are hindering the extensive application of 3D printed materials in the global market. This review highlights the present status of various photopolymers, their synthesis, and their optimization parameters for biomedical applications. Moreover, a glimpse of various photopolymerization techniques currently employed for 3D printing is also discussed. Furthermore, various naturally derived nanomaterials reinforced polymerization and their influence on printability and shape fidelity are also reviewed. Finally, the ultimate use of those photopolymerized hydrogel scaffolds in tissue engineering is also discussed. Taken together, it is believed that photopolymerized 3D printing has a great future, whereas conventional 3D printing requires considerable sophistication, and this review can provide readers with a comprehensive approach to developing light-mediated 3D printing for tissue-engineering applications.     

On‐Demand Production of Flow‐Reactor Cartridges by 3D Printing of Thermostable Enzymes

The compartmentalization of chemical reactions is an essential principle of life that provides a major source of innovation for the development of novel approaches in biocatalysis. To implement spatially controlled biotransformations, rapid manufacturing methods are needed for the production of biocatalysts that can be applied in flow systems. Whereas three‐dimensional (3D) printing techniques offer high‐throughput manufacturing capability, they are usually not compatible with the delicate nature of enzymes, which call for physiological processing parameters. We herein demonstrate the utility of thermostable enzymes in the generation of biocatalytic agarose‐based inks for a simple temperature‐controlled 3D printing process. As examples we utilized an esterase and an alcohol dehydrogenase from thermophilic organisms as well as a decarboxylase that was thermostabilized by directed protein evolution. We used the resulting 3D‐printed parts for a continuous, two‐step sequential biotransformation in a fluidic setup.     

Multifaceted polymeric materials in three‐dimensional processing (3DP) technologies: Current progress and prospects

Three‐dimensional printing (3DP) technologies, which are sets of powerful deposition methods employed to fabricate 3D objects with materials in the fields of material sciences and engineering, biomedical and biocompatible structural components, automotive, aviation, and polymers, among others, are currently rapidly developing manufacturing technologies. The methods have significant advantages, which include designing flexibility, enhanced geometrical freedom, low cost, and net shape manufacture, among others, over the traditional “subtractive” method. This review highlights the major 3D printing techniques, especially in the fields of advanced polymeric material fabrication and engineering, as well as the synergy in the incorporation of different types of polymeric materials and composites in a process that will lead to an enhancement of dimensional accuracy for 3D technologies. Furthermore, composite ink systems especially polymer‐based and hydrogel‐based in tissue engineering applications are also discussed.