Jammed Microgel-Based Inks for 3D Printing of Complex Structures Transformable via pH/Temperature Variations.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Stimuli-responsive hydrogels enable dynamic structural changes but are limited by fabrication methods for complex designs.
• Current methods often restrict the complexity of 3D structures that can be created using these advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile 3D printing method for fabricating complex stimuli-responsive hydrogel structures.
• To overcome limitations in creating intricate objects that can change shape in response to external stimuli.

Main Methods:

• Development of jammed microgel-based inks containing stimuli-responsive hydrogel precursors.
• Utilizing extrusion-based 3D printing with shear-thinning and self-healing inks.
• Post-crosslinking printed structures via UV light to form interpenetrating networks.

Main Results:

• Successfully 3D printed complex structures, including a shape-transforming dumbbell and a functional gripper.
• Demonstrated stimuli-mediated volume changes in the printed hydrogel objects.
• Validated the shear-thinning and self-healing properties of the microgel inks for printing.

Conclusions:

• Jammed microgel-based 3D printing is a versatile strategy for creating complex, stimuli-responsive objects.
• This method allows for diverse applications by enabling the use of various monomers within the microgels.
• The developed inks facilitate the fabrication of intricate 3D structures with dynamic, stimulus-induced transformations.