Toward functional magnetic applications for multi-material inkjet 3D printing

Abstract

The bounds of the design space for 3D-printed objects continue to rapidly extend as the library of printable materials continues to grow. This thesis explores printed objects uniquely enabled by the addition of a magnetic ink to the existing repertoire of materials for the MultiFab printer, a high-resolution, multi-material inkjet 3D printer. Magnetic nanoparticles, a base ink, and a dispersion method are selected to develop the magnetic ink. The ink is optimized for maximal magnetic content and its magnetic properties are characterized. A 9.7 ± 0.8 wt% magnetite ink with expected stability exceeding 10 days is achieved. Design, characterization, and validation of two small-scale multi-material actuators driven by magnetism is performed. The first actuator is a simple fixed cantilever, while the second is a tilting panel. More advanced structures and actuators are explored and are suggestive of an extremely wide scope for potential future applications. The fields of application shown for 3D-printable magnetic ink in a multi-material context range from biomimicry (e.g. stimuli-responsive surfaces) to optics and aerodynamics.