This work demonstrates 3D printed soft actuators with complex shapes and remote actuation using an external magnetic field. Instead of embedding magnetic particles in a polymeric matrix, we fabricated a novel ferrofluid-based actuator, in which the fluid can be moved to different locations in the actuator to affect actuator response. We studied the effect of both the ferrofluid and the 3D printed material on the motion of simple actuators using 3D printed tubes. In addition, we 3D printed more complex actuators mimicking a human hand and a worm to demonstrate more complex motion.

This work presents the fabrication of 3D-printed composite objects based on copper(II) 1D coordination polymer (CP1) decorated with thymine along its chains with potential utility as an environmental humidity sensor and as a water sensor in organic solvents. This new composite object has a remarkable sensitivity, ranging from 0.3% to 4% of water in organic solvents. The sensing capacity is related to the structural transformation due to the loss of water mols. that CP1 undergoes with temperature or by solvent mols.′ competition, which induces significant change in color simultaneously. The CP1 and 3D printed materials are stable in air over 1 yr and also at biol. pHs (5-7), therefore suggesting potential applications as robust colorimetric sensors. These results open the door to generate a family of new 3D printed materials based on the integration of multifunctional coordination polymers with organic polymers.

3D objects composed of 100% wood components are 3D printed utilizing wood flour microparticles dispersed in a matrix composed of cellulose nanocrystals and xyloglucan. In the printed object, a wood waste product is ``glued'' with extracted wood products, to be a substitute for pristine wood. 3D printing is used to maximize conversion of low value materials into final products that exhibit visual, textural, and physical properties of natural timber. Several 3D printing technologies are applied to achieve a wide range of densities, mechanical properties, colors, and morphologies as well as high thermal insulation. Furthermore, the 3D printing process enables predesigning of fiber layout in the printed wood, which enables control of shrinkage orientation.

The electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of graphene-based materials on transparent substrates is highly potential for many applications. Several factors can determine the yield of the EPD process, such as applied voltage, deposition time and particularly the presence of dispersion additives (stabilisers) in the suspension solution. This study presents an additive-free EPD of graphene quantum dot (GQD) thin films on an indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate and studies the deposition mechanism with the variation of the applied voltage (10–50 V) and deposition time (5–25 min). It is found that due to the small size ($\approx$3.9 nm) and high content of deprotonated carboxylic groups, the GQDs form a stable dispersion (zeta-potential of about −35 mV) without using additives. The GQD thin films can be deposited onto ITO with optimal surface morphology at 30 V in 5 min (surface roughness of approximately (3.1$\pm$1.3) nm). In addition, as-fabricated GQD thin films also possess some interesting physico-optical properties, such as a double-peak photoluminescence at about λ=417 and 439 nm, with approximately 98 % visible transmittance. This low-cost and eco-friendly GQD thin film is a promising material for various applications, for example, transparent conductors, supercapacitors and heat conductive films in smart windows.

Semiconductor nanocrystals have been shown to have unique advantages over traditional organic photoinitiators for polymerization in solution However, efficient photoinitiation with such nanoparticles in solvent-free and additive-free formulations so far has not been achieved. Herein, the ability to use semiconductor nanocrystals for efficient bulk polymerization as sole initiators is reported, operating under modern UV-blue-LED light sources found in 3D printers and other photocuring applications. Hybrid semiconductor-metal nanorods exhibit superior photoinitiation capability to their pristine semiconductor counterparts, attributed to the enhanced charge separation and oxygen consumption in such systems. Moreover, photoinitiation by semiconductor nanocrystals overcoated by inorganic ligands is reported, thus increasing the scope of possible applications and shedding light on the photoinitiation mechanism; in light of the results, two possible pathways are discussed - ligand-mediated and cation-coordinated oxidation A demonstration of the unique attributes of the quantum photoinitiators is reported in their use for high-resolution two-photon printing of optically fluorescing microstructures, demonstrating a multi-functionality capability. The bulk polymerization demonstrated here can be advantageous over solvent based methods as it alleviates the need of post-polymerization drying and reduces waste and exposure to toxic solvents, as well as broadens the possible use of quantum photoinitiators for industrial and research uses.

Semiconductor nanocrystals have been shown to have unique advantages over traditional organic photoinitiators for polymerization in solution. However, efficient photoinitiation with such nanoparticles in solvent-free and additive-free formulations so far has not been achieved. Herein, the ability to use semiconductor nanocrystals for efficient bulk polymerization as sole initiators is reported, operating under modern UV-blue-LED light sources found in 3D printers and other photocuring applications. Hybrid semiconductor-metal nanorods exhibit superior photoinitiation capability to their pristine semiconductor counterparts, attributed to the enhanced charge separation and oxygen consumption in such systems. Moreover, photoinitiation by semiconductor nanocrystals overcoated by inorganic ligands is reported, thus increasing the scope of possible applications and shedding light on the photoinitiation mechanism; in light of the results, two possible pathways are discussed - ligand-mediated and cation-coordinated oxidation. A demonstration of the unique attributes of the quantum photoinitiators is reported in their use for high-resolution two-photon printing of optically fluorescing microstructures, demonstrating a multi-functionality capability. The bulk polymerization demonstrated here can be advantageous over solvent based methods as it alleviates the need of post-polymerization drying and reduces waste and exposure to toxic solvents, as well as broadens the possible use of quantum photoinitiators for industrial and research uses.

This review describes recent developments in the field of conductive nanomaterials and their application in 2D and 3D printed flexible electronics, with particular emphasis on inks based on metal nanoparticles and nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and graphene sheets. We present the basic properties of these nanomaterials, their stabilization in dispersions, formulation of conductive inks and formation of conductive patterns on flexible substrates (polymers, paper, textile) by using various printing technologies and post-printing processes. Applications of conductive nanomaterials for fabrication of various 2D and 3D electronic devices are also briefly discussed.

This review describes recent developments in the field of conductive nanomaterials and their application in 2D and 3D printed flexible electronics, with particular emphasis on inks based on metal nanoparticles and nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and graphene sheets. We present the basic properties of these nanomaterials, their stabilization in dispersions, formulation of conductive inks and formation of conductive patterns on flexible substrates (polymers, paper, textile) by using various printing technologies and post-printing processes. Applications of conductive nanomaterials for fabrication of various 2D and 3D electronic devices are also briefly discussed.

Local mechanical cues can affect crucial fate decisions of living cells. Transepithelial stress has been discussed in the context of epithelial monolayers, but the lack of appropriate experimental systems leads current studies to approximate it simply as an in-plane stress. To evaluate possible contribution of force vectors acting in other directions, double epithelium in a 3D-printed "GeminiChip" containing a sessile and a pendant channel is reconstituted. Intriguingly, the sessile epithelia is prone to apoptotic cell extrusion upon crowding, whereas the pendant counterpart favors live cell delamination. Transcriptome analyses show upregulation of RhoA, BMP2, and hypoxia-signaling genes in the pendant epithelium, consistent with the onset of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition program. HepG2 microtumor spheroids also display differential spreading patterns in the sessile and pendant configuration. Using this multilayered GeminiChip, these results uncover a progressive yet critical role of perpendicular force vectors in collective cell behaviors and point at fundamental importance of these forces in the biology of cancer.

Aerogel objects inspired by plant cell wall components and structures were fabricated using extrusion-based 3D printing at cryogenic temperatures. The printing process combines 3D printing with the alignment of rod-shaped nanoparticles through the freeze-casting of aqueous inks. We have named this method direct cryo writing (DCW) as it encompasses in a single processing step traditional directional freeze casting and the spatial fidelity of 3D printing. DCW is demonstrated with inks that are composed of an aqueous mixture of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and xyloglucan (XG), which are the major building blocks of plant cell walls. Rapid fixation of the inks is achieved through tailored rheological properties and controlled directional freezing. Morphological evaluation revealed the role of ice crystal growth in the alignment of CNCs and XG. The structure of the aerogels changed from organized and tubular to disordered and flakey pores with an increase in XG content. The internal structure of the printed objects mimics the structure of various wood species and can therefore be used to create wood-like structures via additive manufacturing technologies using only renewable wood-based materials.

Directed-assembly by standing surface acoustic waves (SSAWs) only requires an acoustic contrast between particles and their surrounding medium. It is therefore highly attractive as this requirement is fulfilled by almost all dispersed systems. Previous studies utilizing SSAWs demonstrated mainly reversible microstructure arrangements from nanoparticles. The surface chemistry of colloids dramatically influences their tendency to aggregate and sinter; therefore, it should be possible to form permanent microstructures with intimate contact between nanoparticles by controlling this property. Dispersed silver nanoparticles in a microfluidic channel were exposed to SSAWs and reversibly accumulated at the pressure nodes. We show that addition of chloride ions that remove the polyacrylic capping of the nanoparticles trigger their sintering and the formation of stable conducting silver microstructures. Moreover, if the destabilizing ions are added prior to nanoparticle assembly while continuously streaming the dispersion through the acoustic aperture, the induced aggregation leads to formation of significantly thinner microstructures, which are (for the first time) unlimited in length by the acoustic apparatus. This new approach overcomes the discrepancy between the need for organic dispersants to prevent unwanted aggregation in the dispersion, and the end product's requirement for intimate contact between the colloidal particles.

Renewable energy technol. and effective energy management are the most crucial factors to consider in the progress toward worldwide energy sustainability. Smart window technol. has a huge potential in energy management as it assists in reducing energy consumption of indoor lighting and air-conditioning in buildings. Electrochromic (EC) materials, which can elec. modulate the transmittance of solar radiation, are one of the most studied smart window materials. In this work, highly transparent SnO2 inverse opal (IO) is used as the framework to electrochem. deposit amorphous WO3 layer to fabricate hybrid SnO2-WO3 core-shell IO structure. The hybrid structure is capable of effective near IR (NIR) modulation while maintaining high visible light transparency in the colored and bleached states. By varying the initial diameter of the polystyrene (PS) opal template and the WO3 electrodeposition time, optimal results can be obtained with the smallest PS diameter of 392 nm and 180 s WO3 electrodeposition. In its colored state, the 392-SnO2-WO3-180 core-shell IO structure shows ≈70% visible light transparency, 62% NIR blockage at 1200 nm, and ≈15% drop in NIR blocking stability after 300 cycles. The SnO2-WO3 core-shell IO structure in this study is a promising EC material for advanced smart window technol.

Two kinds of carbon-based nanozymes were constructed from the same precursor of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) for O2•- determination Hollow carbon cubic nanomaterial (labeled as HCC) was obtained by chem. etching ZIF-8 with tannic acid and a subsequent calcination. A porous carbon cubic nanomaterial (labeled as PCC) was prepared by directly pyrolysis. Then HCC and PCC were immobilized on the surface of screen printed carbon electrodes (SPCE), fabricating HCC and PCC modified electrodes (denoted as HCC/SPCE and PCC/SPCE). HCC/SPCE, best operated at -0.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), has a sensitivity of 6.55 × 102 nA μM-1 cm-2 with a detection limit of 207 nM (at S/N = 3) for O2•- sensing. And PCC/SPCE, best operated at -0.4 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), exhibited a superior performance for O2•- detection with a sensitivity of 1.14 × 103 nA μM-1 cm-2 and a low detection limit of 140 nM (at S/N = 3). The two sensors possess excellent reproducibility and stability. They were used to sense O2•- released from HeLa cells. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

In recent years, there has been significant advancement in smart window technologies due to their effectiveness in reducing energy consumption of indoor lighting and air-conditioning in buildings. Electrochromic (EC) materials, in particular, have been widely studied as they provide a simple method for tuning or modulating visible light and IR (IR) transmittance. In this work, a novel hybrid, multi-layered SnO2-TiO2-WO3 inverse opal (IO) nanostructure has been fabricated via dip-coating and electrodeposition process. This hybrid nanostructure allows an electrochromic smart window for effective near IR (NIR) modulation, with high visible transparency and durable EC cycling stability. The visible transparency of as-fabricated hybrid multi-layered SnO2-TiO2-WO3 IO was measured to be in the range of 67.2-88.0% in the bleached state and 67.0-74.4% in the colored state, resp. Furthermore, the hybrid nanostructure is also able to modulate up to 63.6% NIR radiation at the wavelength of 1200 nm and maintain approx. 82.6% of its NIR blockage capability after 750 reversible cycles. The hybrid multi-layered SnO2-TiO2-WO3 IO nanostructure in this study can potentially be an effective and stable EC material for advanced smart window technol.

Effective management of heat transfer, such as conduction and radiation, through glass windows is one of the most challenging issues in smart window technology. In this work, reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) thin films of varying thicknesses are fabricated onto Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO) glass via electrophoretic deposition technique. The sample thicknesses increase with increasing number of deposition cycles (5, 10, 20 cycles). It is hypothesized that such rGO thin films, which are well-known for their high thermal conductivities, can conduct heat away laterally towards heat sinks and reduce near-infrared (NIR) transmittance through them, thus effectively slowing down the temperature increment indoors. The performance of rGO/FTO in reducing indoor temperatures is investigated with a solar simulator and a UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. The 20-cycles rGO thin films showed 30% more NIR blocked at 1000 nm as compared to clean FTO, as well as the least temperature increment of 0.57 °C following 30 min of solar irradiation. Furthermore, the visible transmittance of the as-fabricated rGO films remain on par with commercial solar films, enabling up to 60% of visible light transmittance for optimal balance of transparency and heat reduction. These results suggest that the rGO thin films have great potential in blocking heat transfer and are highly recommended for smart window applications.

Fabrication of dense ceramic objects by 3D printing processes is important in achieving improved functions in many applications, such as mechanical, optical, and electrical devices. It is a challenging process, mainly due to the high content of organic binders within the printed object. Upon heating and sintering, the printed object shrinks and becomes porous due to the decomposition of the organic binder. Herein, a new approach is presented based on the utilization of an inorganic binder that is a sol–gel precursor for the same material composing the dispersed ceramic particles. The approach is demonstrated in printing objects composed of barium titanate (BTO), which is an important dielectric and piezoelectric material. This binder also enables us to achieve dispersions with high solid load that exhibits a shear-thinning rheological behavior, which is essential for direct ink writing (DIW) printing technology. The as-printed parts contain only 1 wt% organic materials, having 97.8% of the theoretical density, whereas the BTO binder crystalizes upon heating, without forming undesired secondary phases.

Over the last two decades, carbon based materials and especially carbon nanotubes (CNTs), were the subject of many studies, mainly due to their unique electrical, optical and mechanical properties (Ouyang et al., 2002; Dresselhaus et al., 2003; Dresselhaus et al., 1995). CNTs can combine electrical conductivity with wide absorption spectra, and can be produced in large scale (Danafar et al., 2009) [4]. These properties enable to realize CNTs in simple, low-cost detector. Here we present a proof-of-concept for such a detector operating at the short-wave infrared (SWIR) regime. We use a simple spray technique, which allows creating a large matrix of CNT bundles. Semiconducting quantum dots (QDs) were adsorbed on top of the CNTs, enhancing the sensitivity to the infrared regime. This regime is important for numerous applications in the civil, medical, defense and security fields. Controlled coupling between the QDs and the CNT matrix generates gate-like electro-optical response when light is absorbed. This proof-of-concept for a detector in the SWIR region is presented for large surfaces and substrates, while the responsivity and detectivity of the detector in a range of frequencies and wavelengths was evaluated.

Localization of rectal tumors is a challenge in minimally invasive surgery due to the lack of tactile sensation. We had developed liposomal indocyanine green (Lip-ICG) for localization of rectal tumor. In this study we evaluated the effects of liposome size and lipid PEGylation on imaging. We used an endoscopically-guided orthotopic experimental rectal cancer model in which tumor fluorescence was determined at different time points after intravenous (i.v.) administration of Lip-ICG and PEGylated liposomes (PEG-Lip-ICG). Signal intensity was measured by tumor-to-background ratio (TBR), or normalized TBR (compared to TBR of free ICG). Fluorescence microscopy of tumor tissue was performed to determine fluorescence localization within the tissue and blood vessels. Liposomes of 60 nm showed an increased TBR compared with free ICG at 12 hours after i.v. injection: normalized TBR (nTBR) = 3.11 vs. 1, respectively (p = 0.006). Larger liposomes (100 nm and 140 nm) had comparable signal to free ICG (nTBR = 0.98 ± 0.02 and 0.78 ± 0.08, respectively), even when additional time points were examined (0.5, 3 and 24 hours). PEG-Lip- ICG were more efficient than Lip-ICG (TBR = 4.2 ± 0.18 vs. 2.5 ± 0.12, p < 0.01) presumably because of reduced uptake by the reticulo-endothelial system. ICG was found outside the capillaries in tumor margins. We conclude that size and lipid modification impact imaging intensity.

Localization of rectal tumors is a challenge in minimally invasive surgery due to the lack of tactile sensation. We had developed liposomal indocyanine green (Lip-ICG) for localization of rectal tumor. In this study we evaluated the effects of liposome size and lipid PEGylation on imaging. We used an endoscopically-guided orthotopic exptl. rectal cancer model in which tumor fluorescence was determined at different time points after i.v. (i.v.) administration of Lip-ICG and PEGylated liposomes (PEG-Lip-ICG). Signal intensity was measured by tumor-to-background ratio (TBR), or normalized TBR (compared to TBR of free ICG). Fluorescence microscopy of tumor tissue was performed to determine fluorescence localization within the tissue and blood vessels. Liposomes of 60 nm showed an increased TBR compared with free ICG at 12 h after i.v. injection: normalized TBR (nTBR) = 3.11 vs. 1, resp. (p = 0.006). Larger liposomes (100 nm and 140 nm) had comparable signal to free ICG (nTBR = 0.98 ± 0.02 and 0.78 ± 0.08, resp.), even when addnl. time points were examined (0.5, 3 and 24 h). PEG-Lip- ICG were more efficient than Lip-ICG (TBR = 4.2 ± 0.18 vs. 2.5 ± 0.12, p < 0.01) presumably because of reduced uptake by the reticulo-endothelial system. ICG was found outside the capillaries in tumor margins. We conclude that size and lipid modification impact imaging intensity.