Synthesis through 3D printing: formation of 3D coordination polymers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemistry
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Coordination polymers (CPs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer unique properties for applications in catalysis and sensing.
• Current 3D printing methods for CPs involve dispersing pre-synthesized materials in a carrier, potentially hindering their intrinsic functionalities.
• Developing methods for fabricating 3D structures composed solely of CP material is crucial for maximizing their performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel direct print-and-form approach for creating 3D free-standing coordination polymer objects.
• To demonstrate the in situ synthesis of CPs within a 3D printer during the fabrication process.
• To overcome limitations associated with dispersing CP materials in polymerizable carriers.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing coordination metal complexes as monomeric building blocks.
• Employing a 3D printer for simultaneous in situ synthesis and shaping of coordination polymers.
• Demonstrating the approach with a nickel tetra-acrylamide monomeric complex.

Main Results:

• Successfully prepared a 3D-shaped object composed entirely of a nickel tetra-acrylamide coordination polymer without any binder.
• The direct print-and-form method allows for the creation of monolithic CP structures.
• This approach enables the intrinsic properties of the CP material to be fully preserved and utilized.

Conclusions:

• The developed direct print-and-form approach offers a new paradigm for additive manufacturing of coordination polymers.
• This method facilitates the creation of 3D objects solely from CP material, enhancing their potential applications.
• This work opens new avenues for the utilization of CPs in advanced manufacturing and functional devices.