Many are the institutions that try to develop 3D printing so that it is increasingly fast, capable and especially interesting when it comes to being incorporated into all production chains in the world. On this occasion I want to tell you about the project carried out by a group of researchers from the University of Florida through which they have been able to develop a new methodology for the liquid silicone 3D printing.
As they have commented in the paper published regarding the project, among the main advantages found in this project, to highlight for example that thanks to the use of 3D printing of liquid silicone improve a wide range of medical devices as well as accelerate its implantation in treatments and operations such as the drainage of body fluids, balloons, soft catheters, implant bands, slings and meshes.
An investigation of the University of Florida leads to the creation of a methodology for medical silicone impression.
Going into a little more detail, we learn that this new method makes use of a physical process of 'interference'in which the viscosity of the material increases as the density of the particles increases. This allows you to create certain medical devices that they can swell and contract depending on certain actions performed.
The most interesting thing about this project is that it emerged from other research related to bioprinting. Thanks to its developments, this new way of printing soft materials was discovered using them microscopic hydrogel particles with inks'oily' such as silicone.
As commented Christopher O'Bryan, PhD student of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the Herbert Wertheim College of the UF of Engineering:
Our new material provides support for liquid silicone in 3D printing, allowing us to create very complex structures and even parts encapsulated in silicone elastomer.
Once we started printing the oily silicone inks on the oily microgel materials, the printed parts kept their shapes. We have been able to achieve really great parts using silicone 3D printing, the best I have seen.