Story perspectives

Revolutionary Gel Method Boosts 3D Printed Metal Strength

10/17/2025

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Summary

Story summary

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne researchers developed a water-based gel method to 3D print metals.
They soak a hydrogel framework in metal salts and convert them into nanoparticles.
The resulting materials exhibit compressive strengths up to 25 times greater than previous methods with 20% shrinkage.
EPFL researchers aim to improve processing speed and density, potentially enabling sensors, biomedical devices, and energy technologies.
Their findings were published in Advanced Materials.

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Story summary

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne researchers developed a water-based gel method to 3D print metals.
They soak a hydrogel framework in metal salts and convert them into nanoparticles.
The resulting materials exhibit compressive strengths up to 25 times greater than previous methods with 20% shrinkage.
EPFL researchers aim to improve processing speed and density, potentially enabling sensors, biomedical devices, and energy technologies.
Their findings were published in Advanced Materials.