Scientists from The University of Texas at Austin, Sandia National Laboratories, and two other U.S. national labs have unveiled a 3D printing technique capable of producing objects with highly varied mechanical and optical properties on a fine, pixel-level scale. The method relies on widely available materials and affordable 3D printers, opening possibilities for applications such as realistic anatomical models for medical training and innovative personal protective equipment.
“We can control molecular level order in three-dimensional space, and in doing so, completely change the mechanical and optical properties of a material,” said Zak Page, a UT associate professor of chemistry and author on the paper. “And we can do that all from a really…