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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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New 3D Printing Technology Can Print Soft Materials in Seconds While Saving Huge Amounts of Energy

3D printing has become one of the most exciting technologies of the modern world. It is used to make everything from toys and machine parts to medical implants, wearable devices, and even houses. One of its biggest advantages is that it allows people to quickly create custom designs without using traditional manufacturing methods.

However, today's 3D printing technology still has some major problems. Many printing methods consume a lot of electricity or need extra processing after printing. This makes the process slower, more expensive, and less efficient.

Now, a team of researchers led by Qing Li has developed a new 3D printing technique that could solve these problems. Their new method allows soft materials to become solid in just a few seconds without needing continuous heat, light, or electricity. This breakthrough could make 3D printing faster, cheaper, and much more energy-efficient.

Why Current 3D Printing Methods Have Problems

Although 3D printing has improved greatly over the years, most existing methods still have limitations.

One common method is called Direct Ink Writing (DIW). In this process, a soft material or ink is pushed through a nozzle and printed layer by layer. However, the printed object usually stays soft for some time and needs extra processing to become fully solid.

During this waiting period, the printed layers can lose their shape. They may bend, collapse, or spread out, reducing the quality of the final product.

Another popular method is Stereolithography (SLA). This technology uses ultraviolet (UV) light or lasers to harden liquid resin while printing. It can produce very detailed objects, but it requires a constant supply of light and electricity during the entire printing process.

Because of this, SLA uses a large amount of energy, making it more expensive and less environmentally friendly.

Scientists have been searching for a better solution that uses less energy while producing stronger and more accurate printed objects.

A New Way to Print

To solve these problems, Qing Li and the research team developed a new technology called Frontal Polymerization (FP)–3D Printing with In Situ Curing.

Although the name sounds complicated, the idea behind it is actually quite simple.

Instead of using continuous heat or light to harden the material, the researchers only need to start a chemical reaction once. After the reaction begins, it creates enough heat to continue by itself.

This means the material can turn from a liquid into a solid without needing more external energy.

It is similar to lighting one end of a firework sparkler. Once it is lit, the burning continues on its own until the entire sparkler is finished. In the same way, the chemical reaction moves through the printed material and hardens it automatically.

How the New Printing Process Works

The researchers created a special printable ink made from acrylate-based monomers. These are small molecules that can join together to form strong plastic-like materials.

The printing process works in a few simple steps:

  • The printer places the special ink layer by layer.

  • A small amount of energy is used to start the chemical reaction.

  • The reaction spreads through the printed material by itself.

  • Within just a few seconds, the liquid turns into a solid polymer.

  • No continuous heating, laser, or UV light is needed.

Because the material hardens immediately while being printed, the process is called in situ curing, which simply means "curing in place."

Much Lower Energy Use

One of the biggest advantages of this new technology is that it saves a huge amount of energy.

Traditional stereolithography needs lasers or UV light throughout the entire printing process. These systems consume electricity continuously until printing is finished.

The new FP method is completely different.

It only needs a small amount of energy at the beginning. After that, the chemical reaction continues on its own without extra power.

According to the researchers, this reduces the energy needed by several orders of magnitude, meaning the energy savings are enormous.

Using less electricity not only lowers costs but also makes the process more environmentally friendly.

Better Quality Printed Objects

Printing soft materials has always been difficult because they easily lose their shape before becoming solid.

With older printing methods, layers may sag, spread out, or collapse before they fully harden.

The new FP technology solves this problem because each printed layer becomes solid almost immediately.

This gives several important benefits:

  • The printed object keeps its original shape.

  • The layers stick together much better.

  • The structure becomes stronger.

  • Fine details remain clear.

  • There is much less bending or collapsing.

As a result, the printed objects have much higher quality and accuracy.

What Are Organogels?

The researchers tested their technology by printing a material called an organogel.

An organogel is a soft material made by trapping an organic liquid inside a solid polymer network.

Even though it feels soft and flexible, it can still be strong and durable.

Organogels are becoming very important because they can be used in many advanced technologies.

Some possible applications include:

  • Soft robots

  • Flexible electronic devices

  • Medical implants

  • Artificial skin

  • Wearable sensors

  • Smart medical devices

However, printing organogels has always been challenging because they easily lose their shape before curing.

The new FP printing method solves this problem by hardening them almost instantly.

A Powerful Water Evaporator

To show that their printed material could be useful in real life, the researchers used the printed organogel to create a water evaporator.

A water evaporator changes liquid water into water vapor using heat, often from sunlight.

This process is useful for producing clean drinking water from seawater or dirty water.

The printed organogel performed extremely well.

It achieved a water evaporation rate of 3.77 kilograms per square meter every hour.

This is a very high evaporation rate and shows that the printed material works efficiently.

Such evaporators could be used in:

  • Solar-powered desalination

  • Water purification systems

  • Wastewater treatment

  • Freshwater production

  • Sustainable water management

Why This Discovery Is Important

This new technology offers many advantages over traditional 3D printing methods.

Some of its biggest benefits include:

  • Uses much less energy

  • Hardens materials within seconds

  • Produces stronger printed objects

  • Prevents soft materials from collapsing

  • Improves printing accuracy

  • Reduces manufacturing costs

  • Supports environmentally friendly production

These advantages could make 3D printing more practical for industries around the world.

Future Uses

The researchers believe this technology could be used in many different fields.

Possible future applications include:

  • Soft robots that move like human muscles

  • Flexible wearable electronics

  • Artificial tissues for medicine

  • Medical implants

  • Smart sensors

  • Drug delivery systems

  • Water purification devices

  • Energy storage materials

  • Custom healthcare products

  • Advanced manufacturing

Because the technology works with soft materials, it opens the door to many new products that are difficult to make using current printing methods.

Conclusion

The new Frontal Polymerization (FP)–3D Printing with In Situ Curing developed by Qing Li and the research team could change the future of 3D printing. Instead of using continuous heat, lasers, or UV light, the process only needs a small amount of energy to start. After that, the chemical reaction continues on its own, turning liquid materials into solid objects within seconds.

This makes the printing process much faster, more energy-efficient, and more reliable. The printed materials are stronger, maintain their shape better, and require much less electricity than traditional methods.

The successful creation of a high-performance water evaporator also shows that this technology is ready for practical applications. As scientists continue to improve it, this new printing method could play an important role in making future manufacturing faster, greener, and more affordable while opening exciting possibilities in medicine, robotics, electronics, and clean water technologies.

Reference: Q. Li, Y.-L. Zhao, H.-X. Shen, et al. “ 3D Printing–In Situ Curing of Soft Organogels Using Frontal Polymerizable Inks.” Adv. Mater. 37, no. 35 (2025): 37, 2419039. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202419039

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