Additive manufacturing techniques have the unique capability of controlling local composition, structure, and alignment. During additive manufacturing of polymers, the molecular, mesoscale, and macroscopic structures of the extruded polymer are intricately tied to both its rheological response and the structure and anisotropic properties of the macroscopic printed architecture. These ties generate the potential of using 3D printing as a form of directed self-assembly for achieving polymer structure that mimic the intricate complexity achieved by natural systems.

We leverage custom-synthesized polymers, polymer self-assembly, and extrusion-based additive techniques to understand and control the interplay between additive manufacturing and local materials structure for achieving transformational applications.