3D Laser Micro‐ and Nanoprinting: Challenges for Chemistry

Abstract

3D printing is a powerful emerging technology for the tailored fabrication of advanced functional materials. This Review summarizes the state-of-the art with regard to 3D laser micro- and nanoprinting and explores the chemical challenges limiting its full exploitation: from the development of advanced functional materials for applications in cell biology and electronics to the chemical barriers that need to be overcome to enable fast writing velocities with resolution below the diffraction limit. We further explore chemical means to enable direct laser writing of multiple materials in one resist by highly wavelength selective (λ-orthogonal) photochemical processes. Finally, chemical processes to construct adaptive 3D written structures that are able to respond to external stimuli, such as light, heat, pH value, or specific molecules, are highlighted, and advanced concepts for degradable scaffolds are explored.

Conjugated Bifunctional Carbazole‐Based Oxime Esters: Efficient and Versatile Photoinitiators for 3D Printing under One‐ and Two‐Photon Excitation

“…The 2PA cross sections (σ 2PA ) measurements were performed by the Z‐scan technique. Detailed information of the experimental setup has been described earlier . The reliability of the setup was verified using Rhodamine B as a reference.…”

“…Detailed information of the experimental setup has been described earlier. [32] The reliability of the setup was verified using Rhodamine B as a reference. A femtoseconds laser system (Pharos SP from Brilliant Instruments Technology Co., Ltd. China) was employed to pump an OPA (Orpheus) and generate an 800 nm pulsed laser with a pulse width of 190 fs.…”

“…Two-photon 3D printing can provide printed objects with nanometer resolution since the two-photon polymerization occurs only within the focal volume. [32] Furthermore, the NIR laser beam can penetrate deeply into the human tissue and cause less photodamage. [33] These unique properties make twophoton 3D printing quite attractive for numerous biomedical applications.…”

Emerging Trends in Information‐Driven Engineering of Complex Biological Systems

“…[157] As 3D printing techniques have emerged, a greater emphasis on spatially patterning more advanced structures with equal resolution to 2D approaches has evolved. [157] As 3D printing techniques have emerged, a greater emphasis on spatially patterning more advanced structures with equal resolution to 2D approaches has evolved.…”

“…The shear-driven hydrodynamically deposited ECM forms remarkably stable fibrillar protein networks, which are similar to the protein matrix secreted by human mammary fibroblasts. [157,207] Similarly, synthetic polymers and naturally derived proteins are being explored for their potential in 2PP. [89,204] Beside the use of natural proteins such as collagen or fibronectin, there are synthetic polymers available as well.…”