3D printing is quickly becoming embedded in most every manufacturing process these days, and today marks yet another milestone. A team of MIT researchers figured out a novel use for the technology by printing triaxial electrospray emitters—tiny nozzles that simultaneously dispense multiple liquids that solidify into three-layered droplets. These emitters are commonly used for manufacturing drugs, but their uses extend to self-healing materials and multiple other applications.
The smaller 3D-printed nozzle arrays are theoretically easier and cheaper to manufacture compared to existing techniques, and are reportedly far more efficient than conventional designs, dispensing more consistent and customizable droplets. This development could potentially boost the production rate of layered drugs, as well as other scenarios including self-healing materials, biosensors, contrast agents, solar cell coatings, and implant coatings.
