Reactive Silicone Inks for 3D Printing Using Microfluidic Mixers

使用微流体混合器进行 3D 打印的反应性有机硅墨水

• 批准号: 479230-2015
• 负责人: Brook, Michael
• 金额: $ 11.87万
• 依托单位: McMaster University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Strategic Projects - Group
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=641887
• 关键词: Reactive; Silicone; Inks; 3D; Printing

3D printing (additive manufacturing) is a disruptive technology making rapid inroads into commercial print-on-demand manufacturing and into the community. Silicones used in applications ranging from contact lenses to computer keyboard springs. They cure into rubbers too slowly to be used as 'inks' in 3D printers. We propose to develop rapidly curing silicone inks that can be printed directly from current 4-color inkjet printers and using microfluidic mixers we develop, 4-color printing of mixed silicone pastes from commercial 3D printers. Many advantages will accrue from these reactive inks. They will be used as surface treatments of existing devices based on silicone or other materials. More importantly, print-on-demand devices can be directly made from silicone in which the physical properties can be broadly tuned in a spatially-controlled manner. Thus, hardness, adhesiveness, refractive index, water wettability and other features can be encoded into different parts of the device. Initially, single coatings will be extended to multipass coatings for microfluidics and ophthalmic applications. With the paste printer, larger biomedical devices can be prepared. This project will combine Brook's synthetic expertise with Selvaganapathy's expertise in microfluidics and 3D printing, and with strong support from our three supporting companies: Structur3d Printing a startup developing printer nozzles to 3D print pastes; Silcotech, a leader in silicone injection molding who will help with mixing protocols; and, Siltech, the largest company in Canada making functional silicones will assist with scale up of the ink technology. The sponsors will allow HQP to spend part of their research time in company facilities to expedite development. An important consequence of this is the exposure the HQP will gain in working in an industrial environment. The proposed work has benefits Canada through the development of commercializable 3D printing technology of functional silicones and the training of market ready HQP because of the technical, critical thinking and problem solving skills they learn through their direct interaction with our industrial sponsors.

3D打印（添加剂制造）是一种破坏性的技术，可以快速进入商业印刷品制造业和社区。从隐形眼镜到计算机键盘弹簧的应用中使用的有机硅。它们固化成太慢，无法用作3D打印机中的“油墨”。我们建议开发快速固化的硅胶油墨，这些油墨可以直接从当前的4色喷墨打印机上印刷，并使用我们开发的微流体搅拌机，从商用3D打印机中对混合硅胶糊的4色印刷。这些反应性油墨将产生许多优势。它们将用作基于有机硅或其他材料的现有设备的表面处理。更重要的是，可以直接用硅树脂制成点印设备，其中可以以空间控制的方式对物理特性进行广泛调整。因此，可以将硬度，粘合性，折射率，水的润湿性和其他特征编码到设备的不同部分中。最初，单涂层将扩展到微流体和眼科应用的多通涂层。使用粘贴打印机，可以准备更大的生物医学设备。该项目将将Brook的合成专业知识与Selvaganapathy在微流体和3D打印方面的专业知识相结合，并在我们的三家支持公司的大力支持下：structur3d打印了开发3D打印糊剂的启动打印机喷嘴； Silcotech是有机硅注射成型的领导者，他们将帮助混合方案；而且，加拿大最大的公司制造功能有机硅的公司Siltech将有助于扩大墨水技术的规模。赞助商将允许HQP在公司设施中度过一部分研究时间，以加快开发。这一点的重要结果是HQP在工业环境中工作将获得的接触。拟议中的工作通过开发可商业化的3D打印技术的功能有机硅和Ready HQP培训，从而使加拿大受益，这是因为他们通过与我们的工业赞助商的直接互动来学习的技术，批判性思维和解决问题的技能。