Fabrication of 3D Ordered Structures with Multiple Materials via Macroscopic Supramolecular Assembly

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

• Advanced manufacturing demands integration of diverse materials into 3D structures.
• Current additive manufacturing struggles with interfacial binding between dissimilar materials.
• Macroscopic supramolecular assembly (MSA) offers potential for efficient interfacial interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile methodology for fabricating 3D heterogeneous ordered structures.
• To demonstrate in situ integration of a wide range of materials with varying moduli.
• To address the fundamental problem of interfacial binding in additive manufacturing.

Main Methods:

• Combination of macroscopic supramolecular assembly (MSA) and magnetic field-assisted alignment.
• In situ integration of materials including elastomers, resins, plastics, metals, and quartz glass.
• Demonstration of single material assembly, coassembly of multiple materials, and 3D alignment of complex structures.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of 3D heterogeneous ordered structures.
• Integration of materials with moduli ranging from tens of MPa to over 70 GPa.
• Demonstrated assembly of single materials, coassembly of 2-4 distinct materials, and complex 3D arrangements like 'bridge-like' and 'cross-stacked' structures.

Conclusions:

• The developed methodology provides a mild and efficient solution for assembling multiple materials at the macroscopic scale.
• This approach overcomes limitations in interfacial binding for diverse material integration.
• The technique shows significant promise for advanced fabrication in fields such as tissue engineering, electronic devices, and actuators.