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The variety of 3D-printing techniques available so far have been used on polymers or metals, but never on glass. Where glass was processed into structures, for instance by melting and application by means of a nozzle, the surface turned out to be very rough, the material was porous and contained voids. “We present a new method, an innovation in materials processing, in which the material of the piece manufactured is high-purity quartz glass with the respective chemical and physical properties,” explains Rapp. The glass structures made by the KIT scientists show resolutions in the range of a few micrometers – one micrometer corresponding to one thousandth of a millimeter. However, the structures may have dimensions in the range of a few centimeters, emphasizes Rapp.
3D-formed glass can be used, for instance, in data technology. “The next plus one generation of computers will use light, which requires complicated processor structures; 3D-technology could be used, for instance, to make small, complex structures out of a large number of very small optical components of different orientations,” explains the mechanical engineer. For biological and medical technologies, very small analytical systems could be made out of miniaturized glass tubes. In addition, 3D-shaped microstructures of glass could be employed in a variety of optical areas, from eyeglasses meeting special requirements to lenses in laptop cameras.
Frederik Kotz, et al. Three-dimensional printing of transparent fused silica glass. Nature, 2017; 544 (7650): 337 DOI: 10.1038/nature22061
(Score: 3, Interesting) by YeaWhatevs on Tuesday April 25 2017, @06:27PM (2 children)
I thought it said it used a combination of glass particles and polymer. Basically glass-like glue some together, so not really glass but looks impressive. I'll be really impressed when they use vapor deposition of silicon tetrachloride to directly do quartz glass printing
(Score: 2) by VLM on Tuesday April 25 2017, @08:27PM
The process uses a photocurable silica nanocomposite that is 3D printed and converted to high-quality fused silica glass via heat treatment.
I read the 7th word as "binder" and the last two words as "sinter". Perhaps more exotic, perhaps just avoiding someone elses patent.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday April 26 2017, @12:08AM
But how do they get the glass particles to fuse without causing a non-transparent material?