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Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Planar and Three-Dimensional Printing of Conductive Inks

Planar and Three-Dimensional Printing of Conductive Inks

Published on: December 9, 2011

Light-deformable dynamic surface fabricated by ink-jet printing.

Sunqian Liu¹, Xiaoling Liao¹, Laurens T de Haan¹

¹SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM), National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, No. 378, West Waihuan Road, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, 510006, Guangzhou, China. yuandong@scnu.edu.cn and Institute of Electronic Paper Displays and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.

|November 24, 2020

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Researchers developed a scalable method for creating dynamic surfaces using ink-jet printing of liquid crystal network (LCN) hemispheres. These photo-responsive surfaces deform under UV light, enabling applications like adjustable micro-lenses.

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Surface Engineering
Polymer Chemistry

Background:

Dynamic surfaces with tunable topography are desirable for advanced applications.
Traditional liquid crystal network (LCN) manufacturing methods face scalability challenges.
Responsive materials are key to creating adaptable surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a scalable fabrication method for LCN dynamic surfaces.
To engineer photo-responsive LCN hemispheres using ink-jet printing.
To characterize the UV-induced deformation of the LCN surfaces.

Main Methods:

Ink-jet printing of liquid crystal monomer mixtures onto a homeotropic alignment layer.
Photopolymerization of printed droplets into LCN hemispheres.

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Last Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Planar and Three-Dimensional Printing of Conductive Inks

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Published on: December 9, 2011

Scalable Stamp Printing and Fabrication of Hemiwicking Surfaces

Scalable Stamp Printing and Fabrication of Hemiwicking Surfaces

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Copolymerization with azobenzene diacrylate for photo-responsiveness.

Characterization using optical microscopy and 3D surface profiling.

Main Results:

Fabrication of large-area arrays of deformable LCN hemispheres via ink-jet printing.
Demonstration of UV-induced surface topography change (depression) in LCN hemispheres.
Observation of a "maltese cross" texture under crossed polarizers.
Modulation of deformation amplitude by UV intensity and temperature.

Conclusions:

Ink-jet printing offers a scalable route for manufacturing LCN dynamic surfaces.
Photo-responsive LCN hemispheres exhibit controllable topographical changes upon UV irradiation.
This technology holds promise for applications in adjustable micro-lenses and tunable surface wettability.