Development and Implementation of Functional 3D-Printed Material Systems for Tissue Engineering, Energy, and Structural Applications

Although it has existed for more than three decades, there has been an incredible surge in interest in just the past 3-4 years with respect to 3D-printing (3DP) and additional additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. This is readily apparent in consumer, academic, and industrial markets as well as within the popular media. With the ability to produce complex parts on demand without the need for expensive tooling or dies in a manner that is both more efficient with respect to material consumption and time investment, it is apparent why AM technologies are so desirable and capture the imaginations of the scientists, engineers, medical doctors, and the general public alike. For all the promises made, however, 3DP is not yet mainstream within established manufacturing, medical, and research fields. Although many factors certainly play a part in this slow progress, one of them is the lack of variety of 3D-printing compatible functional materials. Traditional manufacturing methods have been developed over centuries to accommodate the incredibly diverse world of materials, which encompasses everything from metals and alloys to biological tissues and organs. To bridge this gap, I present a method for preparing and 3D-printing liquid "inks" at ambient conditions via simple extrusion from a wide-variety of material types. The versatility, functionality, scalability, and translatability of this "particle-laden ink" technology are demonstrated in depth for a variety of material systems including bioceramics, metal oxides, planetary soils, and graphene, with applications ranging from tissue engineering to energy. Additional 3D-printable material systems are also demonstrated. Beyond being able to successfully 3D-print already existing material systems, I also demonstrate that this particle-laden ink method can be utilized to create materials with unique properties that are the direct result of the 3D-printing process. The discovery of these 3D-printing enabled materials, such as Hyperelastic Bone and 3D-printed graphene, represent a new class of materials and opens the door for further investigation and development of an incredibly wide variety of new 3D-printable material systems. Through the work presented in this dissertation, I substantially build upon and further establish the very recently formed field of 3D-Printing Materials Design, Engineering, and Application.