Multi-material 4D printing employing stimuli-responsive polymer composites using vat photopolymerization

Fahad Alam, Nazek El-Atab*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Vat photopolymerization presents a versatile platform for realising intricate 4D printed structures with dynamic functionalities. This study examines the use of the vat photopolymerization technique for 4D printing employing stimuli-responsive polymers via a novel multi-material printing approach. As a potential application, the feasibility of printing encryptions with distinct layers comprising different responsive materials is explored, enabling activation through a combination of two or three stimuli. High-resolution structures with well-defined interfaces between the materials can be realised by leveraging the precision and versatility of vat photopolymerization. Shape-memory polymer-based 4D printed encryption exhibits selective activation when exposed to specific thermal (40 °C) and UV-light stimuli (405 nm), showing potential for advanced information storage, anti-counterfeiting, and camouflage writing applications. These findings highlight the capability of the proposed approach using vat photopolymerization to fabricate complex, stimulus-responsive constructs, fostering innovative applications in adaptive systems and smart devices.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere2444576
JournalVirtual and Physical Prototyping
Volume20
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

  • 4D printing
  • Multi-materials
  • polymer composites
  • shape-memory polymer
  • stimuli-responsive
  • vat-photopolymerization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Signal Processing
  • Modeling and Simulation
  • Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design
  • Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

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