Technology

# video | Printed on a 3D printer glass changes color depending on the angle

Starting from the 4th century AD in jewelry andeven astronautics uses dichroic glass, which changes its color depending on the angle from which it is viewed. It consists of oxides of various metals and reflecting light differently - this explains the unusual property of the material. The Dutch scientists decided to check whether it is possible to use it for 3D printing and what the created objects will look like. The result of the work they showed on the video.

The authors of the experiment were researchers fromWageningen University. The basis for dichroic material was polyvinyl alcohol PVA, which is often used as a medium for 3D printing due to its wide distribution. Nanoparticles of gold of different sizes were added to it - a lot of precious metal was not needed, its concentration was only 0.07% of the total weight of the composite material.

A mixture of alcohol and gold particles became the raw material forprint a small cup. As expected, he received an unusual property of transfusion in different colors, depending on which side the light source is from. Initially, the cup appears opaque and is colored brown, but if you put it in front of a light source, it becomes transparent and turns purple. The effect arises from the fact that in one case light is reflected from gold nanoparticles, and in the other it passes by them.

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When the material goes on sale foruse in 3D printers, it will be used to print completely different items. For example, people will be able to print unusual jewelry, or optical lenses that take one color and reflect a completely different one. At the moment, researchers continue to experiment, adding different components for more interesting effects.

With 3D printers, people are able to createnot only small objects like decorations, but also to construct huge buildings. Researchers from Singapore, for example, plan to use mobile robots for this.

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