UP NEXT: Zak Page, UT Austin

One-Vat Multilateral 3D Printing: The Devil is in the Details

Monday, September 14, 2026 | 2:00 ET

Abstract: Multimaterial 3D printing promises to bring the kind of structural and functional complexity we see in nature into synthetic systems, but doing this in a single vat is still far from straightforward. This PAM JAM will cover recent progress in one-vat multimaterial vat photopolymerization (VPP), focusing on how small – and often overlooked – details in chemistry, optics, and processing can make or break these systems. Rather than swapping resins or relying on multi-step workflows, newer approaches use wavelength selectivity, reaction orthogonality, and grayscale light control to program multiple materials from a single formulation. Key practical design rules have begun to emerge, including how to think about photochemical selectivity, resin formulation beyond standard acrylates, and the coupling between light–matter interactions and reaction kinetics. These considerations directly impact interfacial integrity, mechanical gradients, and overall print fidelity. The discussion will conclude with a perspective on where the field is heading, including gaps in characterization and opportunities for integrating modeling and data-driven design, with an eye toward applications in soft robotics, biomedical devices, microelectronics, and advanced optics.