3D Printing of Silicone Elastomers with Sacrificial Support
Location
Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing (CEC)
Session Format
Oral Presentation
Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors
Dr. Yue Zhang, Faculty Advisor
Abstract
Soft materials such as silicone elastomers are excellent candidates for applications in soft robotics because of their high flexibility and safe physical interaction with humans. However, fabrication of highly complex structures remains a significant challenge. We aim to use an additive manufacturing strategy that allows printing of soft materials with complex structures efficiently. To realize this goal, we developed a novel direct-ink-write (DIW) method that prints highly elastic silicone with sacrificial materials which can be removed easily. This work studied the material processing parameters in printing silicone with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as sacrificial support materials. The presented method paves the way for fabrication of functional structures that can be applied in soft robotics and tissue engineering.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Roberts, Kyle, "3D Printing of Silicone Elastomers with Sacrificial Support" (2021). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 98.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2021/2021/98
3D Printing of Silicone Elastomers with Sacrificial Support
Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing (CEC)
Soft materials such as silicone elastomers are excellent candidates for applications in soft robotics because of their high flexibility and safe physical interaction with humans. However, fabrication of highly complex structures remains a significant challenge. We aim to use an additive manufacturing strategy that allows printing of soft materials with complex structures efficiently. To realize this goal, we developed a novel direct-ink-write (DIW) method that prints highly elastic silicone with sacrificial materials which can be removed easily. This work studied the material processing parameters in printing silicone with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as sacrificial support materials. The presented method paves the way for fabrication of functional structures that can be applied in soft robotics and tissue engineering.
