Freeform 3D Ice Printing (3D-ICE) at the Micro Scale

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Cryogenics

Background:

• Water's unique properties make it suitable for 3D printing ice structures.
• Existing methods lack speed and micro-scale resolution for complex ice fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce a novel freeform 3D ice printing (3D-ICE) process.
• Achieve high-speed, reproducible fabrication of ice structures with micro-scale resolution.
• Demonstrate the capability for complex and overhang geometries.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a drop-on-demand water deposition system onto a -35°C platform.
• Controlled ice structure dimensions and geometry via droplet frequency modulation and stage motion.
• Employed a freeform approach, eliminating layer-by-layer construction and support structures.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated complex, freeform ice structures with overhangs and micro-scale features (down to 50 µm).
• Achieved smooth surfaces, circular cross-sections, and branched hierarchical structures.
• Demonstrated the use of ice templates for creating resin parts with intricate internal features.

Conclusions:

• The 3D-ICE process offers a high-speed, reproducible method for fabricating intricate ice structures.
• This technique opens possibilities for applications in microfluidics, biomedical devices, soft electronics, and art.
• The ability to create sacrificial ice geometries facilitates the production of complex resin parts.