Scientists ‘Cultivate’ Metal Instead Of 3D Printing It–And It’s 20X Stronger

Scientists ‘Cultivate’ Metal Instead Of 3D Printing It–And It’s 20X Stronger

Scientists ‘Cultivate’ Metal Instead Of 3D Printing It–And It’s 20X Stronger Large iron gyroid (1.3 x 1.0 cm). Credit ALCHEMY EPFL CC BY SA Swiss researchers have pioneered a method of cultivating metal out of water-based gel, an innovation that promises valuable applications in energy technology. The concept aims to power the production of unique sensors, biomedical devices, or energy conversion and storage components. Scientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, in Switzerland, have created dense, high-strength structures by injecting hydrogel with metal salts of various minerals like iron and copper. Early results show materials 20-times stronger with much less shrinkage than earlier methods. As novel a concept as “cultivating metal” sounds like, it’s actually been done before, but challenges presented themselves which could not be overcome in these previous experiments. They involved vat photopolymerization—a type of 3D printing that sees pouring a light-reactive liquid r…