High-resolution Water-soluble Sacrificial Mold Additive Manufacturing Method and Application Research

doi:10.3901/JME.260429

Abstract

Abstract: 3D printed water-soluble sacrificial molds are widely used in the fabrication of fine surface features and complex internal structures such as biological scaffolds and microfluidic channels due to their easy removal, low cost, ability to mold complex structures, and ability to protect fine features. However, existing 3D printing techniques such as direct ink writing or fused deposition molding have challenges in the fabrication of water-soluble sacrificial molds, such as low precision (>100 μm) and poor controllability of morphology. In this study, an electric field-driven thermal fusion micro-3D printing method for the fabrication of high-precision water-soluble sacrificial molds is proposed. First, the effects of the molecular weight of plasticizer PEO and the mixing ratio of PEG/PEO on the printability are investigated; then, the effects of the printing parameters on the linewidth and morphology are investigated and optimized, and a minimum linewidth of 30 μm with a pitch of 30 μm is achieved for wire grid printing. Finally, a PCL/Ecoflex dual-surface microstructured triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is designed and fabricated based on a high-resolution water-soluble sacrificial mold, which has an open-circuit voltage of 86 V for a 30 μm microgroove structure, which is 1.32 times higher compared with that of the 90 μm microgroove structure, and a peak power density of 156.8 mW/m² with excellent output performance. Therefore, the present method provides a new idea to realize the processing of high-resolution water-soluble sacrificial molds and microstructures.

Key words: microscale 3D printing, water-soluble sacrificial molds, microstructures, triboelectric nanogenerator

CLC Number:

TH164

HOU Hongrui, SONG Daosen, ZHANG Guangming, LI Yin, GUO Chenxu, FU Zhiguo, ZHOU Wei, WANG Mengjie, DUAN Peikai, LAN Hongbo. High-resolution Water-soluble Sacrificial Mold Additive Manufacturing Method and Application Research[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2026, 62(9): 372-382.

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URL: http://www.cjmenet.com.cn/EN/10.3901/JME.260429

http://www.cjmenet.com.cn/EN/Y2026/V62/I9/372

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