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Sustainable 3D printing by reversible salting-out effects with aqueous salt solutions

Author

Listed:
  • Donghwan Ji

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Joseph Liu

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Jiayu Zhao

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Minghao Li

    (University of California San Diego)

  • Yumi Rho

    (University of California San Diego
    University of California San Diego)

  • Hwansoo Shin

    (Hanyang University)

  • Tae Hee Han

    (Hanyang University)

  • Jinhye Bae

    (University of California San Diego
    University of California San Diego
    University of California San Diego)

Abstract

Achieving a simple yet sustainable printing technique with minimal instruments and energy remains challenging. Here, a facile and sustainable 3D printing technique is developed by utilizing a reversible salting-out effect. The salting-out effect induced by aqueous salt solutions lowers the phase transition temperature of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) solutions to below 10 °C. It enables the spontaneous and instant formation of physical crosslinks within PNIPAM chains at room temperature, thus allowing the PNIPAM solution to solidify upon contact with a salt solution. The PNIPAM solutions are extrudable through needles and can immediately solidify by salt ions, preserving printed structures, without rheological modifiers, chemical crosslinkers, and additional post-processing steps/equipment. The reversible physical crosslinking and de-crosslinking of the polymer through the salting-out effect demonstrate the recyclability of the polymeric ink. This printing approach extends to various PNIPAM-based composite solutions incorporating functional materials or other polymers, which offers great potential for developing water-soluble disposable electronic circuits, carriers for delivering small materials, and smart actuators.

Suggested Citation

  • Donghwan Ji & Joseph Liu & Jiayu Zhao & Minghao Li & Yumi Rho & Hwansoo Shin & Tae Hee Han & Jinhye Bae, 2024. "Sustainable 3D printing by reversible salting-out effects with aqueous salt solutions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-48121-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48121-7
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