Electrowriting of SU-8 Microfibers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Photonics

Background:

• Melt electrowriting (MEW) and solution electrowriting (SEW) are microfiber-based additive manufacturing (AM) technologies.
• These techniques are effective for processing biomedically relevant materials.
• SU-8 resin, a temperature-sensitive polymer, presents unique processing challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce SU-8 resin processed via MEW and SEW for novel material properties.
• To explore parameters influencing electrowriting and post-processing of SU-8.
• To optimize the fabrication of intricate 3D structures using SU-8.

Main Methods:

• Processing SU-8 resin using MEW and SEW techniques.
• Developing a specific heating protocol for temperature-sensitive SU-8.
• Investigating printing conditions and post-processing parameters.
• Characterizing fabricated structures using brightfield, darkfield, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Main Results:

• Achieved smooth-surfaced SU-8 microfibers with MEW within 30-90 minutes, ensuring high reproducibility.
• Demonstrated controlled fabrication of straight filaments and complex multi-layered 3D architectures.
• Obtained SU-8 materials with distinct mechanical, thermal, and optical properties compared to conventionally processed SU-8.

Conclusions:

• MEW and SEW processing of SU-8 enable the creation of 3D structures with tunable properties.
• This research paves the way for novel 3D-printed photonic systems.
• Optimized processing protocols enhance the control and reproducibility of SU-8 microfiber fabrication.