The Problem: Materials with low density, high strength, and high stiffness are desirable for many applications. Cellular materials like syntactic foams possess high compressive strength and stiffness at an extremely low density. 3D-printable foams would assist in creating a novel class of 3D-printed hybrid materials and structures with unprecedented combinations of strength, stiffness, and functionality. However, foam materials have proven elusive to 3D printing, with very few foam feedstocks existing on the AM market.
The Solution: Researchers at the University of Tennessee have developed a novel ink formulation for Direct Ink Write (DIW) additive manufacturing that enables 3D printing of low-density, three-phase syntactic polymer foams. These syntactic polymer foams boast nearly the same mechanical properties as cast and machined three-phase foams while being half as dense as existing 3D-printed syntactic foams and one-third to one-quarter as dense as most 3D-printed polymers.
Benefits:
Inventors:
Dr. Brett G. Compton received his Ph.D. in Materials from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012. His research interests include developing new high-performance materials for additive manufacturing technologies and studying he fundamental concepts of AM processes.
Samantha Maness is a senior undergraduate research assistant in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at University of Tennessee. She will receive her B.S. in materials science from UT in 2021 and plans to continue her education by pursuing a Ph.D. Samantha was recently awarded a Goldwater Scholarship, the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship nationwide.