New 3D-Printing Method Makes Printing Objects More Affordable and Eco-Friendly

The discovery has the potential to advance the world of additive manufacturing.

University of Florida engineers have developed a method for 3D printing called vapor-induced phase-separation 3D printing, or VIPS-3D, to create single-material and multi-material objects.

Yong Huang, Ph.D., a professor in UF’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said the printing process he and colleagues developed allows manufacturers to create custom-made objects economically and sustainably. The novel approach was reported Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.

“It is more economical and much simpler than current counterpart technologies,” he said. “It’s an affordable process for printing advanced materials, including metals.”

To understand the process, imagine using special eco-friendly liquids to make the “ink” for a 3D printer. These dissolvable polymer-based liquids can include metal or ceramic particles. When you print with this ink, a non-solvent vapor is released into the printing area. This vapor makes the liquid part of the ink solidify, leaving behind the solid material — called the vapor-induced phase-separation process.

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