3D, 4D Printing Metals at Room Temperature via Metallic Gels

NC State University researchers have created a way to print solid metals at room temperature using metallic gels that can be used for 4D printing. To date, 4D printing techniques have focused primarily on electrically insulating materials, such as polymers. Adding conductive fillers to polymer could increase the functionality of the printed parts, but the high loadings necessary to achieve conductivity represent a trade-off with printability. Learn more in this video.

“3D printing has revolutionized manufacturing, but we’re not aware of previous technologies that allowed you to print 3D metal objects at room temperature in a single step,” says Michael Dickey , co-corresponding author of a paper on the work and the Camille & Henry Dreyfus Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University. “This opens the door to manufacturing a wide range of electronic components and devices.”