Themed collection Additive Manufacturing
![](https://www.rsc-cdn.org/pubs-core/2022.0.147/content/NewImages/Ajax-GA-Loader.gif)
Recent advances in molecular programming of liquid crystal elastomers with additive manufacturing for 4D printing
This minireview provides a brief overview of the physical principles underlying the key methods for molecular programming of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and recent advances in additive manufacturing processes for LCE 4D printing.
Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2022,7, 1588-1601
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2ME00124A
A review of 3D printing technology for rapid medical diagnostic tools
Additive manufacturing has been identified as a cost-effective method for producing diagnostic equipment that is easily available, inexpensive, sensitive, versatile, and small.
Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2022,7, 315-324
https://doi.org/10.1039/D1ME00178G
Digital light processing 3D printing of hydrogels: a minireview
In this review, we give an overview of the recent advances in the field of DLP printing of hydrogels with emphases on materials selection, structure designs, and representative applications.
Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2022,7, 1017-1029
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2ME00066K
Additive manufacturing: modular platform for 3D printing fluid-containing monoliths
Fluid-filled capsules and liquidous polymers are combined to produce 3D printable inks, enabling printing of fluid-containing monoliths with porous and nonporous microstructures.
Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2022,7, 1039-1044
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2ME00102K
4D printing of light activated shape memory polymers with organic dyes
An ink based on azodyes is presented, allowing fabrication of light activatable 4D shape memory geometries with spatiotemporal response control.
Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2023,8, 323-329
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2ME00201A
3D-printed, configurable, paper-based, and autonomous multi-organ-on-paper platforms
We report 3D-printed, configurable, paper-based organ-on-paper platforms where autonomous and continuous delivery of media to engineered microtissue models is readily achieved without requiring external electrical power during device operations.
Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2022,7, 1538-1548
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2ME00142J
Changing the surface properties with a “click”: functionalization of DLP-printed structures exploiting residual acrylate functions
This work highlights a method of post-functionalization of DLP-printed parts which takes advantage of unreacted acrylate functions as active sites to afford a variety of surface modifications.
Mol. Syst. Des. Eng., 2022,7, 1093-1101
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2ME00059H
About this collection
This special collection of MSDE, Guest Edited by MSDE Associate Editor Luke Connal (Australian National University) and Joseph DeSimone (Stanford University), showcases the rapid innovations in additive manufacturing, including new processes, new materials and new applications. Contributions have placed special emphasis upon the interface of multiple disciplines in addition to highlighting applied systems.