Those who live in glass houses … should get a 3D printer!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
For centuries, glassmaking has relied solely on patiently heating and moulding. Could there be an easier way?
Enter Amir Reisinger and team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
They devised a method to 3D print glass without complex chemical glues. Through a controlled chemical reaction to light, a special gel material hardens into glass shapes. No cracks or shrinkage!
With this efficient new method, glass production could become cheaper and faster than ever! The new method could also be used in optics and medicine. A modern solution to an age-old material.
And that’s clear as day!
Reference: Reisinger, A., Jarach, N., & Magdassi, S. (2025, September 4). Stereolithography-based 3D printing of silica with solutions without organic binders – sciencedirect. Stereolithography-based 3D printing of silica with solutions without organic binders. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369702125003645