3D printing could open up a whole new world of sustainable consumer goods. Clothes, packaging, furniture and personal care products could soon be 3D printed using newly developed wood-based ink, meaning more green products originating from trees could soon hit the market.
It’s all thanks to an innovative new study out of Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, which successfully developed the 3D printing process in a way that mimics the unique ‘ultrastructure’ of wood, meaning huge potential to revolutionise the manufacture of green products.
Growth of wood is controlled by its genetic code, affording it the unique properties it offers, such as its durability. Unlike metals and plastics, however, it cannot be melted down or easily reshaped. Any processes that do involve conversion, like the production of paper, card or textiles, destroy the underlying architecture of the wood’s cells.
However, by emulating the natural cellular architecture of wood, this exciting new technology allows wood to be grown into the shape required for the final product, by using the magic of 3D printing.
Through converting wood pulp into a gel, researchers had already created a type of ink suitable for 3D printing. This most recent development has seen them go one step further in successfully interpreting the genetic code of wood, allowing them to use that knowledge to instruct the 3D printer.
The ink can therefore be controlled during the printing process to replicate wood’s highly desirable ultrastructure, meaning the vital properties of natural wood remain, even despite shape management occurring.
Professor Paul Gatenholm, who led this research through the Wallenberg Wood Science Centre at Chalmers, said breakthroughs in manufacturing technology have enabled movement beyond the limits of nature, with the result being new sustainable products.
The technology means wood-based products could essentially be ‘grown to order’ at a significantly reduced timescale when compared with natural wood.
“It means that those products which today are already forest-based can now be 3D printed, in a much shorter time. And the metals and plastics currently used in 3D printing can be replaced with a renewable, sustainable alternative,” said Professor Gatenholm.
What’s more, a further advancement has seen the addition of hemicellulose — a natural component of plant cells — to the ink. The hemicellulose acts as a kind of natural glue, providing added strength.
The group has already developed a prototype for a packaging concept with oxygen barrier properties, meaning a promising environmentally friendly alternative for the current airtight packaging of foodstuffs or pharmaceuticals could be just around the corner.
“Manufacturing products in this way could lead to huge savings in terms of resources and harmful emissions. Imagine, for example, if we could start printing packaging locally. It would mean an alternative to today’s industries, with heavy reliance on plastics and CO2-generating transport. Packaging could be designed and manufactured to order without any waste,” said Professor Gatenholm.
The team has also developed prototypes for healthcare products and clothing, and the potential even exists for the technology to be used in space, by enabling the production of raw materials during longer missions.
3D printing technology is also being explored back home.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the use of wood in 3D printing, make sure you check out our WoodChat podcast focusing on University of Sydney research into how 3D printing technology is being used to create a high-performance construction element using timber waste products and recycled plastics. Listen on SoundCloud and iTunes.
