High Precision 3D Printing for Micro to Nano Scale Biomedical and Electronic Devices

• Published in: Micromachines (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 4; p. 642
• Main Authors: Muldoon, Kirsty, Song, Yanhua, Ahmad, Zeeshan, Chen, Xing, Chang, Ming-Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 18.04.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: 3-D printers; 3D printing; biomaterial; Biomedical engineering; Biomedical materials; CAD; Chemical properties; Computer aided design; Cost control; Electrohydrodynamics; Electronic devices; electronics; Hydrogels; Inkjet printing; Lasers; Manufacturing; micro/nano scale printing; Nanoparticles; Physical properties; Polymerization; Review; Three dimensional printing; Tissue engineering; Wearable computers; electronics; biomaterial; micro/nano scale printing; 3D printing
• ISSN: 2072-666X; 2072-666X
• DOI: 10.3390/mi13040642

Three dimensional printing (3DP), or additive manufacturing, is an exponentially growing process in the fabrication of various technologies with applications in sectors such as electronics, biomedical, pharmaceutical and tissue engineering. Micro and nano scale printing is encouraging the innovation of the aforementioned sectors, due to the ability to control design, material and chemical properties at a highly precise level, which is advantageous in creating a high surface area to volume ratio and altering the overall products’ mechanical and physical properties. In this review, micro/-nano printing technology, mainly related to lithography, inkjet and electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing and their biomedical and electronic applications will be discussed. The current limitations to micro/-nano printing methods will be examined, covering the difficulty in achieving controlled structures at the miniscule micro and nano scale required for specific applications.