US scientists create 'active' 3D printed plastic

At present, 3D printers can be used to print a variety of objects. However, most of the printing materials used by commercial-grade 3D printers are inert thermoplastics or resins, which are difficult to degrade in the natural environment. A few days ago, researchers from American University in Washington, D.C., tried to change that by printing sponge-like plastic modules that avoid pollutants. It is reported that this time researchers used commercial 3D printers to create objects containing active chemicals for the first time. When nano-titanium dioxide reacts with light, it can not only remove stains from clothes, but also kill bacteria and dangerous pathogens in the air. In addition, it also has a good degradation effect on some plastics. Led by chemistry professor Matthew Hartings, the researchers added nano-sized titanium dioxide to regular liquefied ABS thermoplastic for the first time. The titanium dioxide/ABS mixture was extruded and hardened to form filaments, which were then loaded into a 3D printer to print the new plastic modules. The researchers placed the module in water containing organic pollutants, and under the action of light, it instantly disintegrated the molecular structure of the pollutants.