Chameleon Inspired 3D-printing Ink Changes Colors in a Single Print Job

A new 3D-printing ink, inspired by the color-shifting capabilities of chameleons, has been developed by scientists, offering the ability to change colors within a single print job.

This innovative ink employs ultraviolet light to selectively modify the surface structure of the material during printing, resulting in dynamic color transformations.

"By designing new chemistries and printing processes, we can modulate structural color on the fly to produce color gradients not possible before," said Ying Diao, an associate professor of chemistry and chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.

UV Direct-Ink-Write 3D Printing Method

Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, based at the Beckman Institute, have devised a UV-assisted direct-ink-write 3D printing method capable of altering structural colors across the visible spectrum, ranging from deep blue to orange.

This approach not only enables the creation of vibrant colors but also holds promise for more sustainable color production methods, according to the research team.

Ying Diao emphasized the potential of this technique in achieving unprecedented color gradients through innovative chemistry and printing processes.

The study outlines the methodology behind the UV-assisted direct-ink-write 3D printing approach, which involves manipulating light to control the assembly of specially designed crosslinking polymers.

In contrast to conventional colors derived from chemical pigments or dyes, the structural colors produced by this method originate from nano-textured surfaces that interact with visible light, resulting in richer and potentially more eco-friendly coloration, according to Sanghyun Jeon, the lead author and a graduate student in the Diao Lab.

"Unlike traditional colors which come from chemical pigments or dyes that absorb light, the structural colors abundant in many biological systems come from nano-textured surfaces that interfere with visible light. This makes them more vibrant and potentially more sustainable," Jeon said in a statement.

From Deep Blue to Orange

Jeon also emphasized the broad spectrum of structural colors achievable through this technique, ranging from deep blue to orange. The research team achieves a diversity of color gradients using a single ink, modified in its printing process.

"In this work, we demonstrated that integrating cross-linking chemistry with out-of-equilibrium processing based on additive manufacturing allows for dynamic control of structural color across the visible light spectrum and creates color gradients using a single ink," the researchers wrote.

"This approach demonstrates the power of non-equilibrium processing in dynamically modulating self-assembled structures and their functional properties during additive manufacturing."

The paper, titled "Direct-Ink-Write Crosslinkable Bottlebrush Block Polymers for On-the-fly Control of Structural color," is available in PNAS.