来自新加坡的研究人员研究了4D印刷结构的耐用性。与3D相反的4D打印是一个术语，该术语与一旦打印3D，可以随着时间的推移而适应的对象。结构依赖于能够转化为特定形状的形状内存聚合物。
3D打印行业has reported on the potential of 4D printed structures recently with aseparate study also from Singapore。在这种情况下，研究人员展示了制造的简单性和4D印刷对象的应用。
但是，在Nanyang的一项新研究中，研究人员评估了这些结构的性能，因为他们解释说：“ High shape fixity, shape recovery, and prolonged shape memory cycle life are desirable aspects of 4D printed parts; however, the durability of 4D printed parts is rarely investigated.”
The 4D printing process
In order to test the viability of 4D printed parts the group tested the process by 3D printing a bucky ball shaped structure using a DWS SLA 3D printer.
To carry out the 4D printing firstly, and most importantly, the team had to create a specially formulated resin. The resins that are commonly used in SLA machines“是高度交联的热固性聚合物，”这意味着所产生的零件通常非常僵硬，并且没有欲望特性来形状记忆效应（SME）。
To create the SME in an SLA-printed part, the single amorphous resin was formulated in a way consisting of “dual components”, namely a monomer and a crosslinker.
第四维
经过许多不同的测试，研究人员能够成功地创建具有不同特性的树脂，具体取决于其暴露的环境温度。此外，该组还证明了不同的树脂如何影响4D对象的性能。因此，该团队能够创建一个4D打印的球形球球，该球可以手动变形以平整，然后在浸入温水中时重新塑造。
结果对象的表现非常出色，研究人员将4D印刷的Bucky Ball描述为
An outstanding durability of 22 cycles was demonstrated to show its prolonged shape memory cycle life.
Potential of 4D printing
This research could have an impact on the application of 4D printing as a viable manufacturing technique. 4D printing has strong potential for its ability to self-assemble objects, with particular interest in construction or for self-assembling flat-park furniture.
Elsewhere in the world, researchers at MIT have been exploring the application of 4D printing through their Self-Assembly lab. The lab has recently推出了一种新的3D打印方法创造的“快速液体”印刷。MIT has similarlyexplored the use of lightto adapt 3D printed objects post-printing.
The paper, titled ‘4D printing of high performance shape memory polymer using stereolithography’, has been published in the“材料与设计”杂志。这项研究是由育英Clarrisa曹onga, Saeed Maleksaeedib, Hengky Engb, Jun Weib, and Pei-Chen Sua from the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology.
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Featured image shows a ‘4D Buckyball’ created by University of Edinburgh students. Photo via Graeme Taylor.
