High-resolution stereolithography using a static liquid constrained interface

Abstract

Abstract3D printing using conventional stereolithography is challenging because the polymerized layers adhere to the solid constraining interface. The mechanical separation forces lead to poor process reliability and limit the geometrical design space of the printed parts. Here, these challenges are overcome by utilizing a static inert immiscible liquid below the resin as the constraining interface. We elucidate the mechanisms that enable the static liquid to mitigate stiction in both discrete layer-by-layer and continuous layerless growth modes. The inert liquid functions as a dewetting interface during the discrete growth and as a carrier of oxygen to inhibit polymerization during the continuous growth. This method enables a wide range of process conditions, such as exposure and resin properties, which facilitates micrometer scale resolutions and dimensional accuracies above 95%. We demonstrate multi-scale microstructures with feature sizes ranging from 16 μm to thousands of micrometers and functional devices with aspect ratios greater than 50:1 without using sacrificial supports. This process can enable additive 3D microfabrication of functional devices for a variety of applications.

3D Printed Materials in Water Treatment Applications

“…[ 31 ] Inkjet printing techniques need advancement in terms of resolution, whereas stereolithography has excellent resolution. [ 32 ] In this technique, the liquid photosensitive polymer resin is used as a raw material. Upon the application of laser with a specific frequency, the liquid resin such as acrylics and poly(dimethylsiloxane), crosslink and solidify.…”

Injection continuous liquid interface production of 3D objects

“…1A ) relies on resin renewal at the build surface through a continuous liquid interface—the dead zone—created by oxygen, a polymerization inhibitor, fed through the oxygen-permeable window beneath the vat ( 2 – 4 ). CLIP, achievable with multiple patterns of platform movement and UV exposure ( 5 ) along with different window configurations ( 6 , 7 ), enables printing at speeds of up to 3000 mm/hour, 25 to 100 times higher than traditional AM methods. While, to date, CLIP has been limited to relatively low-viscosity resins [commercially available resins from Carbon Inc. have viscosities of up to roughly 2500 centipoise (cP)] ( 8 ), CLIP produces isotropic parts, unlike conventional three-dimensional (3D) printing methods such as fused filament fabrication and powder bed fusion, and has been proven suitable for manufacturing at high volumes and at high resolution for, e.g., biomedical devices ( 9 , 10 ).…”

Visible Light 3D Printing of High-Resolution Superelastic Microlattices of Poly(ethylene glycol) Diacrylate/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites via Continuous Liquid Interface Production

“…Specifically, their vertical print speeds are restricted to a few millimeters per hour . By contrast, the continuous process of CLIP allows printing speeds of up to 500 mm h –1 without step effects while delivering higher z -resolution and smoother surfaces. Meanwhile, even isotropic mechanical properties of the prints can be realized without sacrificing the manufacturing time .…”