2024 1st 3D printing Science

On January 4, 2024, the first Science article of 2024 was published by the team of Professor Yang Peidong, a member of three academies in China and the United States and an inorganic chemist at the University of California, Berkeley.

Blue and green emitters with high photoluminescence quantum yields are currently at the forefront of research in solid-state lighting and color displays. Prof. Peidong Yang's team has demonstrated blue and green emitting materials with near-uniform photoluminescence efficiencies through supramolecular assembly of hafnium and zirconium halide octahedral clusters. The highly luminescent halide chalcogenide powders have excellent solution-processability for thin-film displays and self-illuminated 3D printing. The photoluminescent powders were homogeneously dispersed into the resin by stirring and sonication. The blue and green emitters were assembled into complex macroscopic and microscopic structures using a multimaterial digital light printing method. The resin was rapidly transformed into solid 3D structures under 405 nm structural UV light irradiation.

Printed architectural models of the Eiffel Tower show their respective blue and green colors after 254 nm excitation. Both Eiffel Towers are within a few centimeters of each other and feature high-resolution spatial features.A close-up view of the boundary between the blue and green emitting regions within the 3D-printed octet truss structure reveals a high degree of precision in the color transitions, with no color crossover on either side. The octet truss structure with dual emission also achieves bright emission and high structural accuracy.The potential applications for 3D printed light-emitting structures are vast and evolving, ranging from complex lighting solutions for indoor environments to seamless integration into wearable devices.