3D printing is capable of layering materials with a resolution above 50 µm for most commercial printers. As a comparison, layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly used in nanomaterial coating can manipulate material physics or chemistry within a layer as thin as molecular scale. However, LbL generally leads to an entire layer formation incapable of site-specific, in-layer structural control. Therefore, a combination of these compatible manufacturing methods may form layered structures with nanoscale management of physical structures and chemical compositions in hybrid manufacturing. This work counts on the 3D printed surface patterning as templates for subsequent nanoparticle assembly. We will demonstrate two examples using different 3D printing methods for surface patterning and following nanomaterial assembly. The first example involves general stereolithography (SLA) for surface gratings at a scale of ~200 µm. The controlled LbL dip-coating exhibited aligned carbon nanofibers (CNFs). The preferential orientation of CNFs does not depend on the dipping direction, although a vertical dipping showed a higher degree of nanoparticle packing density. The second example utilizes micro CLIP with better surface roughness control. Our unique synthesis of 2D nanolayers, MXene, showed compliant stacking within carefully designed grooves. Both examples lead to highly efficient sensors sensitive to organic volatiles, pressure, and electronics stretchability. Our hybrid manufacturing in precisely manipulating nanoparticles has broad applications in sensors, actuators, soft robotics, and general structural composites and hybrids.

Hybrid printing of layered composites

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.