The creatures in nature exhibit unique functional performances due to hierarchical architectures composed of nanofillers and the polymer-based matrix. Traditional manufacturing and 3D printing methods have been previously used to fabricate biomimetic anisotropic composites by aligning cellulose fillers in a polymer or ceramic matrix, using external directional physical fields or shear forces. However, only certain types of functional fillers, which are responsible for external physical fields or shear forces, can be aligned with simple orientations and patterns using the aforementioned techniques. Here, we present a versatile 3D printing technology, named liquid crystal templating assisted 3D printing (LCT-3DP), that can fabricate nanocomposites by distributing nanofillers inside the polymer-based matrix in a programmable fashion. In this study, functional nanofillers were aligned by controlling the phase of LCT during the 3D printing process. The properties of 3D printed polymer matrix composites (PMCs) were evaluated, and the design of bioinspired hierarchical architectures of such 3D printed PMCs was further optimized through physics-based multiscale modeling, simulation, and testing. This work provides a brand-new approach to construct functional PMCs with hierarchical bioinspired architectures and opens intriguing perspectives in the future manufacturing of PMCs for promising applications in various fields.

Properties evaluation of bioinspired nanocomposite fabricated by liquid crystal templating-assisted 3D printing

ACS Spring 2022

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