Researchers in Spain have made an exciting breakthrough in sustainable 3D printing.
A team from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya—BarcelonaTech (UPC) and the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) has developed new types of 3D printing resins made entirely from plant-based materials.
This innovation aims to reduce the industry’s reliance on resins made from fossil fuels and promote more environmentally friendly manufacturing practices.
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is becoming increasingly popular in industries ranging from healthcare to construction.
However, many of the liquid resins used in light-based 3D printers are still made from petroleum-based chemicals.
These resins must meet strict requirements: they need to be liquid without solvents and must harden quickly under light to be useful in fast, high-precision printing techniques such as digital light processing (DLP) and stereolithography (SLA).
The UPC and ICIQ team found a sustainable solution by creating resins from natural acids found in everyday foods like corn and broccoli.
These include succinic acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid. These substances are converted into monomers—the building blocks of plastics—in just one step. From there, they can be used to produce eco-friendly resins suitable for light-based 3D printing.
The project was carried out in two parts. The first step, led by Professor Elaine Armelin at the UPC, involved formulating the resin using renewable plant-based sources.
Then, under the guidance of ICIQ researcher Fernando Bravo, the resin was tested and successfully printed using advanced 3D printing techniques.
This research is part of the larger Base-3D project, which seeks to advance 3D printing technologies in Catalonia.
The project encourages the use of 3D printing in schools, hospitals, businesses, and industries by supporting the development of more sustainable and technologically advanced materials.
This is the second innovative resin developed through the Base-3D project. The first was a biodegradable polymer that also performed well in DLP printing. Together, these discoveries bring the world closer to a greener future for additive manufacturing.
In addition to this work, the research team is also exploring other eco-friendly materials like alginate, chitosan, and gelatin.
These soft biopolymers could be used in applications such as improving soil health, building better batteries, and even supporting water desalination technologies.
By turning plants into high-performance 3D printing resins, this team is helping to reshape the future of sustainable manufacturing.
Source: KSR.
