Dynamic Fluid-Assisted Micro Continuous Liquid Interface Production Platform

Functionally graded materials (FGMs) offer the ability to create structures with spatially varying properties, enabling advanced performance in applications such as biomedical devices, soft robotics, and high-performance composites. However, existing multi-material 3D printing systems, such as stereolithography, are often slow and inefficient, making the production of complex graded structures time-consuming and impractical for rapid prototyping. Further, they often experience compromised interfacial properties. Thus, a need exists for innovative approaches to address interfacial failure, and enable a continuous supply of compositional gradients for seamless and precise gradient printing.

 

Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a cutting-edge 3D printing platform that overcomes traditional stereolithography limitations by enabling rapid, continuous multi-material printing using a unique polymerization-free dead zone and dynamic fluidic channels. This technology achieves high resolution and speed while ensuring strong interfacial properties through entangled polymer networks, allowing fabrication of complex, functionally graded materials and devices.

 

This platform dramatically enhances printing speed, resolution, and interface quality of multi-material and gradient structures, offering superior mechanical properties and design flexibility over conventional additive manufacturing techniques.

 

For more information about this opportunity, please see

Wang et al – Adv Mater Technol - 2025