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Direct ink writing of high-resolution cellulose structures
Farnaz Rezaei1, Daniel O Carlsson2, Jimmy Hedin Dahlstrom2
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, 75105, Uppsala, Sweden. Farnaz.rezaei@angstrom.uu.se.
Scientific Reports
|December 12, 2023
Summary
Direct ink writing of cellulose acetate (CA) membranes achieved 1 µm feature sizes. Optimizing CA concentration and molecular weight is key for high-resolution 3D printing in separation applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- 3D printing offers novel possibilities for fabricating advanced membranes for applications like water purification and bio-separation.
- Direct ink writing (DIW) is a versatile 3D printing technique capable of producing intricate structures with high resolution.
- Optimizing printing parameters is crucial for developing robust and scalable DIW processes for membrane fabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the printability of cellulose acetate (CA) using direct ink writing for high-resolution membrane fabrication.
- To determine the influence of nozzle diameter, ink composition (CA amount and molecular weight) on printed feature resolution.
- To establish the feasibility of printing microscale features and structures with DIW.
Main Methods:
- Cellulose acetate (CA) was utilized as the ink material for direct ink writing.
- Nozzles with varying diameters were employed to assess their impact on print resolution.
- Inks with different concentrations and molecular weights of CA were formulated and tested.
- Printed structures were analyzed for feature size, strand width, and structural integrity.
Main Results:
- Nozzle diameter significantly affects the detail resolution of printed structures, influenced by wetting phenomena.
- Higher CA concentration and molecular weight generally lead to improved detail resolution.
- Successfully printed features as small as 1 µm with a 3 µm internal nozzle diameter.
- Achieved 6 µm inter-strand distance and printed 300-layer wall structures (approx. 300 µm height) with minimal sagging.
Conclusions:
- Direct ink writing enables the fabrication of high-resolution microscale membranes using cellulose acetate.
- Ink formulation (CA amount and molecular weight) and nozzle design are critical for controlling printed feature size and resolution.
- This study demonstrates the potential of DIW for creating complex, functional membranes for advanced separation technologies.
