Rolling of 3D Printed Dual-Layer Beam into a Cylinder by Ethanol Absorption

Abstract

4D printing is an extension to 3D printing whereby a printed shape programmatically undergoes shape transformation through external stimulations. There is an increasing interest in this field because of its potential applications. However, many demonstrated shape transformations work on simple and limited geometrical shapes. In this work, the formation of a cylinder from a printed flat dual-layer beam when exposed to ethanol is demonstrated. The newly formed cylinder retains its shape even when the ethanol is removed through the use of a locking mechanism. The proposed method can be used for building medical stents or various sensors and actuators that require cylindrical shapes.