By Muhammad OsamaReviewed by Lexie CornerMar 13 2025A recent study published in Advanced Materials introduced a technique for fabricating materials with nanovoxelated elastic moduli. This method enables precise control over mechanical properties.
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Advancements in 3D Printing Technology
Precision fabrication methods are essential for developing materials with controlled mechanical properties, including strength, toughness, and unique functionalities like auxeticity and responsiveness to external stimuli. While traditional single-material 3D printing has been widely used, multimaterial approaches have expanded design flexibility.
Current multimaterial 3D printing techniques face challenges such as limited build sizes, material compatibility issues, and difficulty achieving nanoscale resolution. This study introduces a method that addresses these limitations by enabling precise nanoscale control over mechanical properties.
Developing a New Fabrication Method
Researchers developed a fabrication method to produce materials with programmable elastic moduli at the nanoscale. A key component of this approach is a non-swelling photoresist, composed of a two-component copolymer hydrogel, which ensures stable nanostructure formation without deformation.
Using multiphoton lithography with the Nanoscribe Photonic Professional GT2, researchers achieved high-resolution 3D printing. They also developed OpenScribe, an open-source software that translates elastic modulus values into optimized laser parameters for controlled material properties.
The hydrogel composition and printing parameters were optimized to maintain a swelling ratio of one, preserving structural integrity. An enzymatic oxidase system was also incorporated to reduce oxidative inhibition during polymerization, improving printing efficiency and allowing the fabrication of materials with varying elasticity.
Key Findings: Achieving High Precision and Stability
The non-swelling photoresist enabled the fabrication of materials with nanovoxelated elastic moduli, achieving mechanical transitions over distances as small as 770 nm, a 130-fold improvement over previous methods.
By adjusting laser power and hatch volume, researchers controlled polymer density and elasticity, creating materials with tunable elastic properties ranging from 1.6 to 44 kPa.
The integration of OpenScribe enabled the fabrication of complex hydromechanical structures, including periodic unit cells with soft-stiff tessellated arrangements. The study also demonstrated the printing of a Weaire-Phelan lattice composite, which mimics multiscale hierarchical structures found in nature.
A clear correlation between laser energy input and polymeric cross-linking density was observed, confirming that higher energy absorption increased elastic moduli. The photoresist maintained its structural integrity without delamination or deformation, ensuring reliability in practical applications.
Applications in Material Science and Engineering
The ability to fabricate materials with precisely controlled properties has implications in biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, where materials must support cell attachment and growth. Incorporating biomolecules into the photoresist could further expand its use in regenerative medicine by enabling the creation of scaffolds that support cellular functions.
In electronics, nanovoxelated materials could improve 3D circuit board designs, leading to more efficient conductive pathways that enhance data storage and computational performance. The ability to replicate hierarchical structures found in nature could lead to high-strength, tough materials for applications in aerospace, robotics, and industrial manufacturing. Precise control over thermal conductivity could also improve heat dissipation in aerospace and electronic systems, increasing efficiency and durability.
Future Research and Optimization
Future work should focus on optimizing the integration of additional functional materials into the existing framework, exploring the scalability of the fabrication process, and investigating the long-term stability and performance of the produced materials under various environmental conditions.
These advancements will be crucial for translating these methodologies from laboratory research to practical applications, enhancing the versatility and applicability of nanovoxelated materials in real-world scenarios.
Journal Reference
Newman, PLH., et al. (2025). 3D Printed Materials with Nanovoxelated Elastic Moduli. Advanced Materials. DOI: 10.1002/adma.202416262, https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202416262
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