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Fast 3D printing of fine, continuous, and soft fibers via embedded solvent exchange

Author

Listed:
  • Wonsik Eom

    (Dankook University
    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

  • Mohammad Tanver Hossain

    (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

  • Vidush Parasramka

    (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

  • Jeongmin Kim

    (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

  • Ryan W. Y. Siu

    (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

  • Kate A. Sanders

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Dakota Piorkowski

    (Chapman University)

  • Andrew Lowe

    (Chapman University)

  • Hyun Gi Koh

    (Hongik University)

  • Michael F. L. Volder

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Douglas S. Fudge

    (Chapman University)

  • Randy H. Ewoldt

    (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

  • Sameh H. Tawfick

    (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    University of Cambridge)

Abstract

Nature uses fibrous structures for sensing and structural functions as observed in hairs, whiskers, stereocilia, spider silks, and hagfish slime thread skeins. Here, we demonstrate multi-nozzle printing of 3D hair arrays having freeform trajectories at a very high rate, with fiber diameters as fine as 1.5 µm, continuous lengths reaching tens of centimeters, and a wide range of materials with elastic moduli from 5 MPa to 3500 MPa. This is achieved via 3D printing by rapid solvent exchange in high yield stress micro granular gel, leading to radial solidification of the extruded polymer filament at a rate of 2.33 μm/s. This process extrudes filaments at 5 mm/s, which is 500,000 times faster than meniscus printing owing to the rapid solidification which prevents capillarity-induced fiber breakage. This study demonstrates the potential of 3D printing by rapid solvent exchange as a fast and scalable process for replicating natural fibrous structures for use in biomimetic functions.

Suggested Citation

  • Wonsik Eom & Mohammad Tanver Hossain & Vidush Parasramka & Jeongmin Kim & Ryan W. Y. Siu & Kate A. Sanders & Dakota Piorkowski & Andrew Lowe & Hyun Gi Koh & Michael F. L. Volder & Douglas S. Fudge & R, 2025. "Fast 3D printing of fine, continuous, and soft fibers via embedded solvent exchange," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-55972-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55972-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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