Assistant Professor William Boley and his team at Boston University have secured a $2.23 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, aimed at advancing the capabilities of 3D printing.
Their objective is to accelerate the testing process, reducing the time required from the current eight hours to a matter of minutes, or even seconds. This significant reduction in testing time will expedite the discovery and development of advanced 3D printing inks, crucial for the creation of highly complex and multifunctional materials.
Boley’s vision involves leveraging new equipment acquisitions, made possible by the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) grant. These acquisitions include chemical mapping scanners and customized printers, which will enable the team to evaluate materials in real-time as they are being printed. This in-house assessment capability eliminates the need for external testing facilities, streamlining the development process and facilitating immediate adjustments based on performance feedback.
Already, Boley and his colleagues have made strides in creating intricate ink formulations, such as those featuring liquid metal droplets dispersed within stretchable polymers. These materials exhibit high electrical conductivity within a flexible matrix, holding promise for applications in soft robotics and beyond.
Ultimately, this initiative represents a significant advancement in additive manufacturing, with implications spanning diverse fields such as robotics, optoelectronics, and biomedical devices. By accelerating the pace of ink development and enhancing printing capabilities,
Source: bu.edu
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