Advanced materials for additive manufacturing

Our expertise

Vat polymerization 3D printing and volumetric additive manufacturing

Vat polymerization 3D printing is unique in its ability to fabricate 3D objects from photoresins at a high speed and high-resolution print using diverse types of materials.

Similar to vat polymerization 3D printing, volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM) is a light-based technique that forms 3D objects from liquid photoresins except that it forms objects all at once using computed tomography principles.

The ability to photopolymerize volumetrically not only circumvents layer-by-layer artifacts and dramatically reduces the print time (to < 1min) but also increases the design freedom because complex geometries can be generated without support structures. In addition, this new technique offers the ability to 3D print over top of an existing 3D structure, something not possible with other 3D printing techniques.

Our team develops new photoresins, from low-loss liquid crystal elastomer for millimetre wave devices to resins for optical applications and elastomeric materials for energy absorption, that are compatible with vat polymerization and VAM 3D printing with the goal of generating material structures with new or improved properties.

The team is pushing the boundaries of how 3D electronics can be manufactured using VAM printing to add conductive features to 3D objects. Collectively, these efforts are opening the door to the manufacture of smart parts with embedded functionality, making this process an invaluable tool for the fabrication of the next generation 5G/6G antennas, tunable lenses, soft robotics, microfluidic components and sensors.

Printed and in-mold electronics

Conductive molecular inks can be printed and processed in unique ways, affording opportunities to produce high resolution conductive prints that can be thermoformed to twice their length. These properties of molecular inks have made it possible to develop printed electronics in overmolded parts, creating a new approach to embedding electronics in cutting-edge designs and unique form factors.

Our team of materials scientists has worked with other NRC research centres and intellectual property and business development teams to ensure the development of a truly original and disruptive solution to challenges presented by industry.