title: 3D Printed PEG-Based Hybrid Nanocomposites Obtained by Sol-Gel Technique.
abstract: In this work, three-dimensional (3D) structured hybrid materials were fabricated combining 3D printing technology with in situ generation of inorganic nanoparticles by sol-gel technique. Those materials, consisting of silica nanodomains covalently interconnected with organic polymers, were 3D printed in complex multilayered architectures, incorporating liquid silica precursors into a photocurable oligomer in the presence of suitable photoinitiators and exposing them to a digital light system. A post sol-gel treatment in acidic vapors allowed the in situ generation of the inorganic phase in a dedicated step. This method allows to build hybrid structures operating with a full liquid formulation without meeting the drawbacks of incorporating inorganic powders into 3D printable formulations. The influence of the generated silica nanoparticle on the printed objects was deeply investigated at macro- and nanoscale; the resulting light hybrid structures show improved mechanical properties and, thus, have a huge potential for applications in a variety of advanced technologies.
authors.affiliation: Center for Space Human Robotics@polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Torino 10129, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiappone
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino , Torino 10129, Italy.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fantino
authors.affiliation: Center for Space Human Robotics@polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Torino 10129, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roppolo
authors.affiliation: Center for Space Human Robotics@polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Torino 10129, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.affiliation: Center for Space Human Robotics@polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Torino 10129, Italy.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino , Torino 10129, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fino
authors.affiliation: Center for Space Human Robotics@polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Torino 10129, Italy.|Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino , Torino 10129, Italy.
authors.forename: Candido Fabrizio
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Pirri
authors.affiliation: Center for Space Human Robotics@polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Torino 10129, Italy.
authors.forename: Flaviana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calignano
keywords: 3D printing; digital light processing (DLP); hybrid nanocomposite; mechanical properties; sol−gel