Ultra-low interfacial tension 3D printing of high definition silicone structures

Jammed particulate systems can be used as support materials in 3D printing applications. Their capacity to yield and re-solidify in response to the application and removal of stress allows printing nozzles to be translated through them and printed inks to be deposited within them. These properties of jammed materials have been leveraged to 3D print soft structures having complex geometries. However, the interfacial tension between the jammed system and printed ink can drive the printed structures to break-up, limiting the minimum feature size that can be printed. To prevent these interfacial instabilities and stably 3D print structures with fine features, we have investigated pairs of inks and jammed support materials having ultra-low interfacial tension. In this presentation, we will describe our research on 3D printing inks and jammed support materials made from chemical variants of polydimethylsiloxane. Preliminary results on the phase behavior of these materials, the rheology of the relevant jammed support materials, and the printed structures will be discussed.