WASHINGTON: Scientists have developed a new method for 4D printing which enables production of objects fixed in one shape that can later be changed to take on a new shape.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder incorporated 'shape memory' polymer fibres into the composite materials used in traditional 3D printing, which resulted in the production of shape-changing objects.
4D printing uses 3D printing — a process that works in a similar way to a laser printer, building a solid object from a series of layers with each one printed directly on top of the previous one. But 4D printing takes 3D printing one step further by allowing 3D-printed materials to be programmed to self-assemble into different shapes over time.
The team led by H Jerry Qi, associate professor of mechanical engineering at CU-Boulder , and his collaborator Martin L Dunn of the Singapore University of Technology and Design tested the method for 4D printing. "In this work, the initial configuration is created by 3D printing, and then the programmed action of the shape memory fibres creates time dependence of the configuration — the 4D aspect ," said Dunn. The 4D printing concept was initially proposed by MIT facultymember Skylar Tibbits in April.
Tibbits and his team combined a strand of plastic with a layer made out of 'smart' material that could self-assemble in water. "We advanced this concept by creating composite materials that can morph into several different, complicated shapes based on a different physical mechanism," said Dunn.
"The secret of using shape memory polymer fibres to generate desired shape changes of the composite material is how the architecture of the fibres is designed, including their location , orientation and other factors," Dunn added. The CU-Boulder team demonstrated that the orientation and location of the fibres within the composite determines the degree of shape memory effects like folding, curling, stretching or twisting.
The technology has the potential to dramatically change processes in construction and manufacturing and could make it easier to build in extreme environments. The US army research office is hoping 4D printing will lead to materials that allow cars to change their structure or a fabric that enables a soldier's uniform to alter its camouflage.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder incorporated 'shape memory' polymer fibres into the composite materials used in traditional 3D printing, which resulted in the production of shape-changing objects.
4D printing uses 3D printing — a process that works in a similar way to a laser printer, building a solid object from a series of layers with each one printed directly on top of the previous one. But 4D printing takes 3D printing one step further by allowing 3D-printed materials to be programmed to self-assemble into different shapes over time.
The team led by H Jerry Qi, associate professor of mechanical engineering at CU-Boulder , and his collaborator Martin L Dunn of the Singapore University of Technology and Design tested the method for 4D printing. "In this work, the initial configuration is created by 3D printing, and then the programmed action of the shape memory fibres creates time dependence of the configuration — the 4D aspect ," said Dunn. The 4D printing concept was initially proposed by MIT facultymember Skylar Tibbits in April.
Tibbits and his team combined a strand of plastic with a layer made out of 'smart' material that could self-assemble in water. "We advanced this concept by creating composite materials that can morph into several different, complicated shapes based on a different physical mechanism," said Dunn.
"The secret of using shape memory polymer fibres to generate desired shape changes of the composite material is how the architecture of the fibres is designed, including their location , orientation and other factors," Dunn added. The CU-Boulder team demonstrated that the orientation and location of the fibres within the composite determines the degree of shape memory effects like folding, curling, stretching or twisting.
The technology has the potential to dramatically change processes in construction and manufacturing and could make it easier to build in extreme environments. The US army research office is hoping 4D printing will lead to materials that allow cars to change their structure or a fabric that enables a soldier's uniform to alter its camouflage.
