Additive Manufacture of Three Dimensional Nanocomposite Based Objects through Multiphoton Fabrication

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Fabricating 3D gold-polymer composites presents challenges in achieving structural uniformity and integrity.
• Existing methods for creating such composites can be complex and multi-step.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a single-step method for fabricating 3D gold-polymer composite structures.
• To investigate the role of additives in improving the quality of these structures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized multiphoton lithography for fabrication.
• Employed gold nanoparticles formed via photoreduction.
• Investigated the polymerization of trimethylopropane triacrylate (TMPTA) and pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA).
• Assessed the effect of a ruthenium(II) complex as an additive.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated 3D gold-polymer structures.
• Observed simultaneous photoreduction of gold nanoparticles and polymerization of monomers.
• The addition of a ruthenium(II) complex significantly enhanced geometrical uniformity and integrity.
• Achieved the first production of 3D gold-polymer structures via single-step multiphoton lithography.

Conclusions:

• Single-step multiphoton lithography is a viable method for creating 3D gold-polymer composites.
• Ruthenium(II) complexes are effective in improving the quality of these composite structures.
• This advancement opens possibilities for novel applications in nanotechnology and materials science.