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The increasing electromagnetic pollution due to the widespread use of electronic devices has drawn attention to the development of high-efficiency electromagnetic wave absorption materials. In this study, polypropylene (PP)/Ni composite materials were prepared using the fused deposition modeling method, with PP as the matrix. The mechanical and absorption properties were investigated, showing that the PP-based materials exhibited good mechanical performance with a tensile strength of 25.3 MPa and an elongation at break of 32.1%. At a Ni content of 50% and a thickness of 1.9 mm, the composite material showed absorption properties of −24.31 dB and 5.6 GHz. The absorption bandwidth covered the entire X and Ku bands (6.4–18 GHz) with adjustable thickness ranging from 1.5 to 4 mm. The combination of excellent absorption and mechanical properties makes these materials promising for the fabrication of complex absorber devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroforming is a promising manufacturing process for producing precise and customized metal components, making it suitable for personalized and small-batch production. Combining electroforming with fused deposition modeling (FDM)-produced molds offers a cost-effective and adaptable method for fabricating complex metal parts. Recent studies have demonstrated its ability to create intricate multi-level and free-form geometries with significant thicknesses. This study focuses on examining how electrode placement influences copper deposition during electroforming in FDM molds. A simulation model is developed and utilized as a tool to visualize copper growth and evaluate the impact of various electrode configurations on deposition uniformity and accuracy. Experimental validation supports the simulation findings, leading to the development of practical design guidelines for optimal mold design and electrode placement. This research contributes to advancing electroforming in 3D-printed molds as an efficient and scalable solution for producing high-quality, customized metal components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of cost-effective, flexible, and scalable microfluidic devices is crucial for advancing organ-on-a-chip (OoC) technology for drug discovery and disease modeling applications. In this study, we present a novel 3D-printed flexible microfluidic device (3D-FlexTPU-MFD) fabricated through a one-step fused deposition modeling (FDM) process using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as the printing filament and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as the bonding substrate. The device's compatibility was evaluated with various cell types, including human primary myoblasts, human primary endothelial cells (HUVEC), and human iPSC-derived optic vesicle (OV) organoids. Myoblasts cultured within the device exhibited high viability, successful differentiation, and the formation of aligned myotube bundles, outperforming conventional well-plate cultures. Additionally, iPSC-derived OV organoids-maintained viability, displayed neurite outgrowth, and sustained expression of the eye marker PAX6. These results demonstrate that the 3D-FlexTPU-MFD effectively supports cell growth, differentiation, and alignment, making it a promising platform for tissue modeling and OoC applications in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative approach for metal electroforming is presented, exemplified with proof-of-concept geometries and illustrated with an industrial application. The proposed production chain hybridizes 3D polymer printing and nickel electroplating for the design-controlled forming of metals within fused deposition modelled contours or patterns, which provide a selective functionalization of the substrate for metal deposition on demand. Applying the developed process, Ni electrodes for streamer discharge plasma generators are structured. These components stand out for their needle-like details, required for promoting streamer discharge phenomena, which would be challenging to obtain employing traditional milling processes. Current capabilities, main challenges and foreseen research directions, for this novel hybrid 3D printing and electroplating process and for its industrial applications, are discussed. Overall, the described process contributes to the already fruitful connections among additive manufacturing technologies and metal electrodeposition procedures, providing an interesting route towards accessible and straightforward electroforming of large components and structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, 3D printing has become a rapidly developing manufacturing technology with huge potential and is influencing many industries, such as engineering, art, education, medicine, aerospace, and many more. Of the many technologies, the one used most frequently is the FDM (fused deposition modeling) method, which is widely available, relatively simple and inexpensive. The essence of this method is to extrude a thermoplastic material through a heated nozzle in a controlled manner. PLA, or polylactide, is a naturally sourced material with good biodegradable properties. It is frequently used in 3D printing and is derived from natural ingredients such as maize starch or sugar cane. The current study aimed to determine the effects of adding plant-origin food industry by-products, such as carrot pomace and ground walnut shells, to PLA on the mechanical and biodegradable properties of specimens printed using the FDM technology. The assumed research objective is consistent with the issue of sustainable development in the management of by-products from the food industry. The study used a pulverized fraction of each additive, with a particle size of less than 0.2 mm, which was introduced into the base material PLA at rates of 1%, 3% and 5%. The mixtures prepared in this manner were used to print (using FDM technology) standardized specimens, which were assessed for strength (bending and breaking tests) and biodegradability (weight loss after 60 and 120 days of storage under varying climatic conditions). It was observed that the additive increased the bending strength parameters (by a maximum of 44.9%, as compared to the raw material with no additives) while decreasing the breaking stress (by a maximum of approximately 15%, as compared to the raw material with no additives). Using plant additives increased biodegradability (up to 7.6%) compared to the control material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAdditive manufacturing aka 3D printing of components utilizing continuous fiber reinforcement is gaining widespread popularity owing to their superior performance, weight saving, low labor and equipment costs, and producing complex shaped objects. However, 3D-printed composites are known to be susceptible to weak interlayer adhesion and layer delamination. Therefore, it is imperative to comprehend the delamination behavior of 3D-printed composite specimens to address the broader applications of additive manufacturing. This article is aimed at experimentally investigating the mode-I interlaminar delamination behavior of 3D printed composite materials having different interface (I/F) materials and orientations. Chopped micro carbon fiber infused Nylon® (aka Onyx) is taken as base specimen material. Additionally, specimen arms of the Double cantilever beam (DCB) composite specimens are 3D printed by utilizing an industrial fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer and their arms are optimally reinforced by continuous carbon fiber layers In addition, continuous Kevlar and carbon fibers are utilized as I/F layer materials. This study attempts to investigate a total of six different I/F material configurations by systematically subcategorizing them in two sections. The three specimens considered in first category are dedicated to investigating the interlayer adhesion and delamination behavior of Onyx layer with adjacent Onyx layer of continuous fiber reinforced layer (Onyx//Onyx, Onyx//Kevlar, and Onyx//carbon). Whereas the remaining three specimen types of second category are dedicated to investigate interlayer adhesion and delamination behavior of continuous fiber reinforced layers only (Kevlar//Kevlar, carbon//carbon, and Kevlar//carbon). Additionally, the print orientation of the I/F layers is also varied to understand the change in delamination behavior of longitudinally and transversely printed I/F layers. The fracture toughness of the specimens is evaluated in terms of strain energy release rate by utilizing the modified beam theory (MBT). Pure Onyx I/F layers are observed to resist crack propagation with maximum resistance owing to excellent interlayer adhesion. The introduction of continuous fibrous layers is observed to reduce the resistance to crack propagation marginally. Additionally, the resistance to crack propagation is observed to be marginally better for transversely printed I/F layers than the longitudinally printed layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study constructed a synergistic homo-/heterojunction zinc blende/wurtzite cadmium sulfide/phosphorus-doped polymeric C 3 N 5 (ZB/WZ CS/PCN). It was found that manipulating Cd/S precursor ratio with Na 2 S as the S precursor can effectively control the growth of high-energy facets. Concurrently, the presence of P -doping in PCN can adequately tune the optical properties of CN through the presence of P –C/P–N/P N linkage within the CN heterocyclic ring. Owing to the intimate heterojunction which boosted the carrier transfer between CS and PCN, the optimal CS/PCN 10% produced 3840.5 μmol g−1 h−1 of hydrogen with prolonged stability (>56 h), giving rise to the intimate heterojunction and robustness. As a proof-of-concept, CS/PCN 10% was also deposited onto a 3D printed substrate obtained by fused deposition modeling (FDM), offering clear advantages for reusability of light-induced photocatalytic applications. Overall, this work provides insights into the universal application of CS/PCN photocatalysts in future scale-up opportunities of photocatalytic-based systems. [Display omitted] • Facet-engineered zinc-blende and wurtzite CdS by regulating Cd/S precursor ratio. • Synergistic P –N/P N bonding in P -doped C 3 N 5 and ZB/WZ CdS ameliorates the properties. • Photocatalyst reusability and recyclability by fused deposition modeling 3D printer. • ZB/WZ CS/PCN 10% with long term stability (>56 h) and AQY of 1.4% at 420 nm. • Multifarious application in HER, H 2 O 2 , CO 2 RR and fine chemical synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]