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Ultralow Shrinkage 3D Transparent Nanoporous Glass Printing through Low-Temperature Sintering for Micro-Optical Applications

  • 0CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China.
Acs Nano +

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August 22, 2025

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August 22, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a low-temperature 3D printing method for transparent nanoporous glass microstructures. The novel technique achieves high fidelity and low shrinkage, enabling advanced micro-optical applications.

Area Of Science

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Optical Engineering

Background

  • Conventional 3D glass printing requires high temperatures, causing shrinkage and limiting micro-optical applications.
  • Existing methods struggle with fabricating complex, transparent glass microstructures with high precision.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To develop a low-temperature, low-shrinkage 3D printing strategy for transparent nanoporous glass microstructures.
  • To enable high-fidelity fabrication of complex micro-optics and direct integration with other components.

Main Methods

  • Utilized a resin with methacrylic acid-functionalized nanoparticles (MAA-NPs) for two-photon polymerization.
  • Achieved nanoporous glass microstructures via low-temperature sintering (650 °C) after printing.
  • Employed uniform nanoparticle dispersion to prevent pore formation and ensure transparency.

Main Results

  • Fabricated 3D glass microarchitectures with 78 wt% solid loading.
  • Achieved 97% visible-light transmittance due to uniform nanoparticle dispersion and sintering.
  • Demonstrated low linear shrinkage (∼5%) enabling high-fidelity complex micro-optics.
  • Successfully integrated glass microlenses directly onto optical fibers with high alignment precision.

Conclusions

  • The developed low-temperature, low-shrinkage 3D printing strategy overcomes limitations of conventional glass additive manufacturing.
  • This technique facilitates the creation of high-fidelity transparent nanoporous glass microstructures for advanced micro-optics, photonics, and biomedical devices.

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