Physics Today: Chemists at the University of
Glasgow in the UK used a three-dimensional printer to make
their own reaction vessels,
reports
Helen Shen for
Nature. With the technique, they were able to
customize the containers with various features, including
catalyst-laced ink, electrodes, glass viewing windows, and
fiber-optic cables. In addition, when the scientists pierced
the vessels with a needle to extract the reagents, the holes
spontaneously resealed themselves. With the new labware, Leo
Cronin and coworkers synthesized three novel
compounds—two inorganic solids and one organic fluid.
Although the polymer they used would not be appropriate for all
chemical reactions or for use at high temperatures, the
flexibility the process offers is intriguing.In
another
story, this one from 3DPrinterHub, Fangjin Zhang and
colleagues at Loughborough Design School in the UK are
investigating the use of 3D printing to restore sculptures and
archaeological relics in Beijing's Forbidden City. Zhang's
technique involves using laser or optical scanners to capture
an object in digital 3D form and then repairing the digital
model before 3D printing the replica. Some models of Forbidden
City structures have already been uploaded to
Google
3D Warehouse.
