Development of low viscosity gel material suitable for modeling with 3D gel printer and evaluation of mechanical properties

Abstract

Our group has developed a 3D gel printer called "SWIM - ER" (Soft and Wet Industrial Material - Easy Realizer). Here we are aiming to improve the gel material used in the SWIM-ER system for problems related to free forming and mechanical strength. The composition of the high strength gel material with low viscosity and easy modeling was clarified by adjusting the concentration of the crosslinking agent of 1st gel against the problem that the viscosity of the material is too high and it was difficult to shape. We tried tear tests in addition to various evaluation tests, tensile tests, compression tests. We thought that we can estimate and evaluate dissipation and diffusion of fracture energy by microscopic observation of specimens after tear tests.

Keywords

• gels
• 3d-printing
• mechanical strength
• evaluation test