New cellulose 3D printing technique gets complex
Researchers in Switzerland have developed a new method for 3D printing complex objects with a higher cellulose content than has previously been achieved.
Found in trees and plants, cellulose has excellent mechanical properties and is of particular interest to manufacturers and materials scientists looking to produce sustainably. It has previously been trialled in additive manufacturing, but printing complex geometries with cellulose has so far proved challenging.
Cellulose aerogel material acts as three-in-one sensor
Cellulose used to fabricate large 3D objects
The researchers, from ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), used a series of novel techniques to increase the percentage of cellulose in the 3D printed objects. They began with a water-based ink containing between 6 and 14 per cent cellulose. After printing with this ink, they put the objects in a bath containing organic solvents, causing the cellulose particles to aggregate. This made the parts shrink but also increased the concentration of cellulose.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Experts speculate over cause of Iberian power outages
The EU and UK will be moving towards using Grid Forming inverters with Energy Storage that has an inherent ability to act as a source of Infinite...