New Dimensions in 3D Printing: Color Change Enabled by Innovative Technique

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• Researchers have developed a sustainable 3D printing technique that allows for the creation of dynamic color gradients from a single ink, inspired by the color-changing ability of chameleons.

• The new method is based on a UV-assisted direct-ink-write 3D printing approach, enabling the modulation of structural colors during the printing process and the generation of color gradients in the visible spectrum from deep blue to orange.

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Researchers Develop Sustainable 3D Printing Technique for Dynamic Coloration Inspired by Chameleons.

The new technique enables the creation of dynamic color gradients through 3D printing, inspired by the color-changing ability of chameleons.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed an innovative method to produce multiple dynamic colors from a single ink using 3D printing. Inspired by the ability of chameleons to change their colors, scientists have devised a sustainable technique to modulate structural colors during the printing process.

Traditional colors are based on chemical pigments or dyes that absorb light. In contrast, structural colors found in many biological systems originate from nano-textured surfaces that interfere with visible light. These structural colors are not only more vibrant but also potentially more sustainable.

The new technique relies on a UV-assisted direct-ink-write 3D printing approach, which allows for the alteration of structural colors during the printing process by controlling light to influence the evaporative assembly of specially designed crosslinking polymers.

By adjusting the printing process, researchers can generate structural colors in the visible wavelength spectrum ranging from deep blue to orange, using a single ink. This enables the creation of color gradients that were previously unattainable and would traditionally require the use of multiple colors.

Published in the journal PNAS, the study emphasizes the importance of collaboration and knowledge exchange among researchers from various disciplines, including chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science. Through collaborative work at the molecular level, they were able to design a system that exhibits fascinating properties.