Dr. Brian Hauck, a U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) research chemist, and his research team has embarked on a journey to investigate the feasibility of 3D printing sensors that change color in the presence of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals. They received a grant of $30,000 from DEVCOM CBC’s ‘Quick Empowerment leads to Successful Tomorrows’ Program (QUEST) to delve into the concept.
Their project, named Chemically Reactive On-demand Materials (ChROMa), aimed to embed colorimetric indicators into commercially available filament for fused deposition modeling. Through meticulous experimentation and statistical analysis techniques like Design of Experiment, they optimized the process, determining the ideal conditions for soaking and drying the filament and identifying the most suitable materials.
Their breakthrough came with white nylon filament soaked for 15 minutes and dried for four hours, exhibiting the desired color change when exposed to chemical vapor. This success paves the way for further exploration, including integrating novel colorimetric chemistries, compounding indicators with plastics, and testing on 3D printers. The ultimate goal is to produce a colorimetric filament spool capable of retaining its sensing capacity during the printing process, enabling the creation of custom sensors in various form factors.
Despite the inherent risks, Hauck expressed satisfaction with the team’s progress, highlighting the exciting possibilities ahead. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has shown interest in ChROMa, recognizing its potential to streamline the provision of field sensors to warfighters. The team aims to leverage this interest by submitting their work to the DLA’s Emergent IV Broad Agency Announcement, seeking further support for advancing additive manufacturing capabilities.
Source: dvidshub.net
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