Intended Audience
Natural Science and Mathematics Colloquium
Harnessing Visible to Near-Infrared Light for Advances in 3D Printing
Lynn Stevens ‘19
University of Texas at Austin
October 2, 2024
Schaefer Hall 106 – 4:45 pm
Saving both time and material, 3D printing has revolutionized how the world creates. Of the different additive manufacturing technologies, those that use light provideome of the fastest build speeds and greatest precision. However, contemporary light-based methods rely on high energy ultraviolet light, a spectral region that pervasively interacts with matter through absorption and scattering events, which reduces reaction selectivity and can lead to unwanted degradation. The aim of this work is to expand the scope of printable materials by enabling low energy visible-to-near infrared (NIR) 3D printing. Research consists of resin formulation and printing parameter optimization, print fidelity characterization, and printing/testing functional structures (e.g., composite-, porous-, and multi-materials). This talk will highlight specific stories about 3D printing with novel panchromatic resins from the visible to NIR spectrum including the development of a new analytical method for determining printing parameters of visible light systems, applications in tissue engineering and nanomaterials, and the development of next generation multiwavelength 3D printing techniques to allow for simultaneous curing of “multi-materials” within a single build process.
This event is free and open to the public. It is meant for a general audience. If you are an instructor, please announce it to your students.