Chinese scientists have developed a method of creating intricate 3D origami using a projector, Power Point, and light-sensitive polymers.

As well as creating beautiful paper swans, origami can also be useful for everything from biomedical devices to mechanical metamaterials.

But, as with folding paper, developing useful origami structures takes a lot of time and effort. However, Chinese physicists have developed an easier process.

They are using a “frontal photo polymerization method” which is a simple approach to creating such complex shapes. The journal Science Advances published the Chinese scientists’ findings.

They prove that by using a light-sensitive polymer, a conventional projector and a Power Point (or similar), it’s possible to develop intricate 3D shapes. Scientist Daining Fang from the University of Beijing said:

“The ‘shrinkage’ of polymers has always been considered a major problem in the manufacture of composite materials and in the operation of conventional three-dimensional printers. We once again demonstrated that if you change the viewpoint, something harmful can become very useful.”

Bending Polymers and Creating 3D Origami

The “major problem” has come from the fact that there are hundreds of different polymers which react differently to light. Usually, 3D printing with photopolymers requires a special substrate. This means the material doesn’t shrink during manufacturing.

However, Fang and his team found a way to put these polymers to good use. They were able to utilise the shrinkage properties of the photopolymers and form a desired shape.

The chosen polymer hardens and in this process, it bends and flexes when the outer layers solidify. The layer which is directly exposed to light is cured faster than the layer below it. This “leads to non-uniform curing–induced volume shrinkage.”

Science Journal reported:

“The concept of our method is based on the volume shrinkage during photo-polymerization. By adding photo absorbers into the polymer resin, an attenuated light field is created which leads to a non-uniform curing along the thickness direction.”

As well as this, by adjusting the gray scale, it’s possible to change the degree of bending. However, the size of the origami shapes has a limit of around three centimeters.

The scientists now hope that by using other polymers, they may be able to develop larger or even smaller obects. They hope this technique could help create everything from electronic devices to useful tools.

Source: Sputnik News