Master’s Projects – Fall 2024
If you are interested in learning more about any of the projects below, please contact Prof Yee at [email protected]
Thermal Vat Polymerization (Semester or Thesis)
One line summary: Develop a new type of thermal resin printer.
Almost all resin 3D printers to date utilises photopolymerization as the curing mechanism, i.e. light is used to spatially initiate polymerization/patterning of the liquid resin. Inspired by recent work from the Boydston group (https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c00365), where heat (generated via a photothermal effect) is used to spatially pattern the polymer instead, we have recently started to explore if other types of thermal-based resin printers are possible.
Over the past semester, we have successfully built a proof-of-concept thermal polymerization system that can achieve thermal patterning. However, the system is still a prototype and there is still a lot more to be done on both the hardware and software of the printer.
In this project, you will work with us to develop and characterise the printer further. Depending on the profile of the student, this will entail one or more of the following: characterising the thermal behaviour of our system; understanding the heat transfer between the heating elements and the resin; developing circuits that can enable more efficient thermal patterning; integration of the heating elements with other mechanical components for efficient 3D printing; developing software for heating control; understanding the thermal curing behaviour of thermosets, and etc.
Preferred experience: CAD Design, Raspberry Pi or relevant controller programming, heat transfer
Building of Composite Resin Printer (Semester or Thesis)
One line summary: Come help us build a resin printer
In this project, you will work with us to build a modular resin printer for the printing of composites. This will entail one or more of the following: integrating elements that enable the application of fields during printing; developing control programs that toggle the application of said fields during printing; printing of composites.
Preferred experience: CAD Design, Raspberry Pi or relevant controller programming, 3D printing
Polymer Microstructure Control (Semester)
One line summary: Develop synthetic protocols for microstructure control in polymers.
One of ALCHEMY’s research directions is to understand structure-property relationships in polymers. To that end, we have been developing methods to control polymer microstructure and achieve unique spatially graded properties. In particular, we are interested in methodologies that are metal-free, oxygen-insensitive, and compatible with free-radical polymerization — conditions that are typically at odds with each other and/or are difficult to achieve.
We have recently made progress on the development of metal-free additives that can be used to control certain aspects of polymer microstructure. As such, in this project, you will work with us to screen various synthetic parameters to a) understand the conditions where microstructure control is possible, and/or b) determine the mechanism of this control.
This project offers the opportunity to explore a less-studied aspect of photopolymerization while gaining substantial experience in synthetic chemistry.
Preferred experience: General synthetic chemistry, Schlenk line techniques.
This project is targeted at SMX and SCGC students but is open to other relevant disciplines as well.
Vat Photopolymerization of Natural Biopolymers (Semester or Thesis)
One line summary: 3D printing of stimuli-responsive natural biopolymers
We have recently been interested in understanding how natural biopolymers can be used in vat photopolymerization (resin printing). In particular, we want to understand how proteins can be used as material building blocks in 3D printing. In this project, you will work with us to develop photoresins that contain such or similar natural biopolymers and understand the conditions where they are amendable to additive manufacturing. Depending on the background of the student (and whether it is a semester or thesis project), we aim to understand one or more of the following: the impact of resin formulation on printability and properties; the stimuli-responsive behaviour of such biopolymers; etc.
Preferred experience: Resin printing, knowledge of polymer science, general wet chemistry
This project is targeted at SMX students but is open to other relevant disciplines as well.
Modular Component Design and Automation for 3D Additive Manufacturing (Semester)
One line summary: Develop flow systems for multimaterial additive manufacturing
Within ALCHEMY, we’re working to push the boundaries of multimaterial 3D fabrication. This project will involve the design, incorporation and automation of advanced liquid flow based components for multimaterial vat photopolymerization processes.
The project involves hands-on iterative design processes to adapt multimaterial fabrication rigs into these techniques, and reassuring reproducibility of results via process automation.
Required experience: CAD Design, Raspberry Pi or relevant controller programming.
Anisotropic Composites (Semester or Thesis)
One line summary: 3D printing of composites with anisotropic fillers
In this project, we want to understand how to fabricate polymer composites with anisotropic fillers.
The project involves the synthesis of anisotropic nanoparticles. For more details, please contact Prof. Yee
Required experience: Nanoparticle synthesis, polymer synthesis
This project is targeted at SMX students but is open to other relevant disciplines as well.
Open Projects
If none of the projects above interest you but you are interested in working with ALCHEMY in general for a Masters Semester Project, Masters Thesis, or otherwise, please contact Prof. Yee to discuss. We are open to the creation or modification of projects as long as they are aligned with our lab’s research goals of developing molecules, materials, and machines for advanced manufacturing.