Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2025
13:38
Synthesis of Biocompatible Liquid Crystal Elastomer Foams as Cell Scaffolds for 3D Spatial Cell Cultures
Published on: April 11, 2017
9.4K
3D-printed thermally expanded monolithic foam for solid-phase extraction of multiple trace metals.
Yu-Hsuan Cheng1, Cheng-Kuan Su2
1Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, 402202, Taiwan.
Mikrochimica Acta
|September 13, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a 3D-printed solid-phase extraction (SPE) column using digital light processing (DLP) and thermally expandable microspheres. This novel SPE column significantly enhances the extraction of heavy metal ions from various water samples.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is crucial for preconcentrating trace analytes.
- Traditional SPE materials can have limitations in efficiency and fabrication.
- 3D printing offers new possibilities for designing advanced SPE devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel 3D-printed SPE column for efficient extraction of metal ions.
- To incorporate thermally expandable microspheres into photocurable resins for enhanced performance.
- To validate the method for trace metal analysis in environmental and biological samples.
Main Methods:
- Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printing was used to fabricate SPE columns.
- Acrylate-based photocurable resins with thermally expandable microspheres were employed.
- Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for metal ion determination.
Main Results:
- The DLP 3D-printed SPE column with thermally expanded monolithic foam showed up to a 14.8-fold enhancement in metal ion extraction.
- Absolute extraction efficiencies exceeded 95.6% for target metal ions.
- Method detection limits ranged from 0.5 to 5.2 ng L⁻¹, demonstrating high sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- Incorporating thermally expandable microspheres into 3D-printed resins significantly improves metal ion extraction efficiency.
- The developed SPE method is reliable and applicable for analyzing metal ions in diverse real-world samples.
- This work expands the utility of vat photopolymerization 3D printing for fabricating advanced SPE devices.
