Liquid for Fused Deposition Modeling Technique (L-FDM)—A Revolution in Application Chemicals to 3D Printing Technology: Color and Elements

Abstract

This article presents a novel 3D printing technique called L-FDM (liquid for fused deposition modeling), which is based on the deposition of molten thermoplastic material. The new method allows for the direct introduction of chemicals and polymer filament modifications during the printing process. In contrast to traditional incremental methods, L-FDM eliminates the need for extra granulating, extrusion, and processing equipment, making it possible to introduce chemical additives to the polymer matrix directly. This opens up exciting possibilities for chemical laboratories to test and experiment with new and known chemicals through 3D printing. The article discusses the technical aspects of L-FDM and its potential applications and provides practical examples of direct filament modifications using the technique. The results of these modifications were verified using a colorimeter, electron microscopy (SEM/EDS), and optical microscopy.

Application of L-FDM Technology to the Printing of Tablets That Release Active Substances—Preliminary Research

“…In this article, we propose a novel method for drug printing using a new technique based on FDM technology (Figure 1), first described in a 2023 article by R. Przekop et al titled Liquid for Fused Deposition Modeling Technique (L-FDM)-A Revolution in Application Chemicals to 3D Printing Technology: Color and Elements [42]. The method does not require the use of traditional plastic processing equipment to introduce the API into the filament; instead, the printing and surface coating of the filament occur simultaneously [42,43]. Therefore, production is fast, does not require the use of large amounts of material and an active substance solution, and enables the printing of small batches of tablets.…”

Advanced Additive Manufacturing of Structurally‐Colored Architectures

“…Colloidal particles within the dense and uniform network have a short-range order, developing non-iridescent structural colors in the printed structures when the size of silica particles is chosen to achieve structural resonance within the visible range. [40] Compared to chemical pigments, [41][42][43] these structural colors are not only nonfading but also physiologically safe. In addition, the colloidal network within the composite bolsters the mechanical stability of the 3D structures.…”