The ancient art of origami is well known for transforming sheets of paper and other foldable materials into complex 3D shapes. But now, chemical engineers have extended the centuries-old practice to produce intricate shapes made of glass or other hard materials. Their thoroughly modern method, which can be combined with 3D printing, could have applications ranging from sculpture to catalysis and beyond.
, the composite retained its new shape fairly well throughout the remaining production steps. Xu discovered that's because the folding and stretching process irreversibly disrupts the interface between some of the silica particles and the polymer matrix. But if it's critical to fully retain the new shape during the subsequent steps, Xu found that the composite must be heated at about 265 F when it is folded and stretched.
A subsequent heating step at more than 1,100 F removes the polycaprolactone polymer from the object and turns it opaque. After cooling, a third heating step, known as sintering, melts the silica particles together at temperatures topping 2,300 F to convert the object into clear glass with a smooth, non-layered texture. Achieving that full transparency turned out to be the project's biggest challenge.
In her latest work, Xu is extending the method beyond glass to ceramics, replacing the silica with substances such as zirconium dioxide and titanium dioxide. Whereas glass is brittle and inert, these compounds open up the possibility of producing"functional" objects, such as materials that are less fragile thanThe group is also experimenting with a combination of kirigami and 3D printing to make even more.
In the catalyst field, Xie notes, people use 3D printing to make ceramic structures perforated with microscopic channels, which increase a catalyst's exposed surface area. Xu's method could enable more intricate designs for such applications, and as a test case, she has printed a pierced 3D lattice made of the silica-polymer composite .
Xu notes that her process could be automated for large-scale manufacturing. She and Xie hope the ceramics and artistic communities will learn about the work and apply it in catalyst and sculpture design, as well as other purposes the researchers haven't even thought of yet.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Now Agatha Christie Gets the Rewrite Treatment to Spare Modern SensitivitiesEven the bestselling novelist in the world isn’t being spared woke rewrite treatments to spare the delicate sensitivities of modern readers, with Agatha Christie’s works getting the full treatment from her publisher.
Read more »
Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Miss Marple Classic Mysteries Rewritten For Modern SensitivitiesAgatha Christie is the latest bestselling novelist to get the rewriting treatment for 2023 readers, according to a British newspaper. The bestselling novelist in the world, Christie created e…
Read more »
‘Proximity’ Takes on Modern Topics at Lyric Opera“Proximity” comprises performances about the search for connection in a tech-dominated world, humanity’s fraught stewardship of the environment and the impact of gun violence in cities and communities. BlackVoicesWTTW
Read more »
How Shackleton’s Endurance inspired a modern expedition to find the sunken shipMaritime archaeologist Mensun Bound, who will be speaking at The Adventurers’ Club of Los Angeles on March 30th, talks about his book, “The Ship Beneath the Ice.”
Read more »
Gordon Moore, modern computing pioneer, dies at 94The Intel co-founder discovered Moore's Law, which has since guided electronics advancements for over half a century.
Read more »
These Speakers Let You Spin Records and Watch TV in StyleWIRED Warm and powerful sound. Potent dynamics for film and TV. Big bass. Built-in phono preamp. High-res audio support. Gorgeous style. Easy setup, useful app. TIRED No Wi-Fi or Ethernet streaming. Pricey. Not as accurate as some rivals.
Read more »