3D printing of versatile reactionware for chemical synthesis

Kitson, P. J., Glatzel, S., Chen, W., Lin, C.-G., Song, Y.-F. and Cronin, L. (2016) 3D printing of versatile reactionware for chemical synthesis. Nature Protocols, 11(5), pp. 920-936. (doi: 10.1038/nprot.2016.041) (PMID:27077333)

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Abstract

In recent decades, 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing) techniques have moved beyond their traditional applications in the fields of industrial manufacturing and prototyping to increasingly find roles in scientific research contexts, such as synthetic chemistry. We present a general approach for the production of bespoke chemical reactors, termed reactionware, using two different approaches to extrusion-based 3D printing. This protocol describes the printing of an inert polypropylene (PP) architecture with the concurrent printing of soft material catalyst composites, using two different 3D printer setups. The steps of the PROCEDURE describe the design and preparation of a 3D digital model of the desired reactionware device and the preparation of this model for use with fused deposition modeling (FDM) type 3D printers. The protocol then further describes the preparation of composite catalyst–silicone materials for incorporation into the 3D-printed device and the steps required to fabricate a reactionware device. This combined approach allows versatility in the design and use of reactionware based on the specific needs of the experimental user. To illustrate this, we present a detailed procedure for the production of one such reactionware device that will result in the production of a sealed reactor capable of effecting a multistep organic synthesis. Depending on the design time of the 3D model, and including time for curing and drying of materials, this procedure can be completed in ~3 d.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Cronin, Professor Lee and Kitson, Dr Philip and Song, Dr Yufei and Glatzel, Dr Stefan
Authors: Kitson, P. J., Glatzel, S., Chen, W., Lin, C.-G., Song, Y.-F., and Cronin, L.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
Journal Name:Nature Protocols
Publisher:Nature Publishing
ISSN:1754-2189
ISSN (Online):1750-2799
Published Online:14 April 2016

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
646611Programmable 'Digital' Synthesis for Discovery and Scale-up of Molecules, Clusters and NanomaterialsLeroy CroninEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/L023652/1CHEM - CHEMISTRY
621351Synthetic Biology applications to Water Supply and RemediationSteven BeaumontEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/K038885/1VICE PRINCIPAL RESEARCH & ENTERPRISE
503291Molecular-Metal-Oxide-nanoelectronicS (M-MOS): Achieving the Molecular LimitLeroy CroninEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/H024107/1CHEM - CHEMISTRY
503295Molecular-Metal-Oxide-nanoelectronicS (M-MOS): Achieving the Molecular LimitLeroy CroninEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/H024107/1CHEM - CHEMISTRY
616021Energy and the Physical Sciences: Hydrogen Production using a Proton Electron BufferLeroy CroninEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/K023004/1CHEM - CHEMISTRY
605821The Multi-Corder: Poly-Sensor TechnologyDavid CummingEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/K021966/1ENG - ENGINEERING ELECTRONICS & NANO ENG
562821Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre for Continuous Manufacturing and Crystallisation (CMAC)Leroy CroninEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/I033459/1CHEM - CHEMISTRY
577391Programmable Molecular Metal Oxides (PMMOs) - From Fundamentals to ApplicationLeroy CroninEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/J015156/1CHEM - CHEMISTRY
630091EVOBLISSLeroy CroninEuropean Commission (EC)UNSPECIFIEDCHEM - CHEMISTRY
630101EVOPROGLeroy CroninEuropean Commission (EC)610730CHEM - CHEMISTRY
599451Microscale Chemically Reactive Electronic AgentsLeroy CroninEuropean Commission (EC)FP7 ICT MICRE31CHEM - CHEMISTRY