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Updated: Jan 25, 2026
06:14
Multiscale Structures Aggregated by Imprinted Nanofibers for Functional Surfaces
Published on: September 11, 2018
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Electrocoiling-guided printing of multiscale architectures at single-wavelength resolution
Jingmei Li1, Tiantian Kong2, Jiazuo Yu3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, 999077, Hong Kong. ashum@hku.hk and HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-SIRI), Shenzhen, China.
Lab on a Chip
|May 3, 2019
Summary
This study introduces an electrically assisted technique to precisely control viscous ink coiling for advanced 3D printing. This method enables high-resolution pattern fabrication and rapid printing of complex fiber architectures.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Additive Manufacturing
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Rope coiling in viscous ink is used in additive printing for tunable mechanical properties.
- Current methods using mechanical motion limit spatiotemporal resolution in controlling coiling paths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-resolution technique for manipulating viscous ink coiling paths using electrical assistance.
- To enable precise control over filament structures and facilitate rapid, accurate fabrication of complex patterns.
Main Methods:
- Spatially programming voltage applied to viscous ink to control coiling paths.
- Utilizing translational guiding of electrocoiling for high-speed printing.
- Demonstrating single wavelength resolution for switching filament structures.
Main Results:
- Achieved high-resolution control over filament structures and coiling paths.
- Enabled rapid printing of complex fiber structures at 100 mm/s.
- Demonstrated large-area, multiscale pattern fabrication in minutes, including centimeter-sized architectures from nanofibers.
Conclusions:
- The electrically assisted electrocoiling technique offers unprecedented speed and resolution for fabricating custom fiber architectures.
- This method allows for tunable shape and density of fiber networks, paving the way for materials with spatially varying mechanical properties.
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