Ti3C2Tx MXene as a novel functional photo blocker for stereolithographic 3D printing of multifunctional gels via Continuous Liquid Interface Production

Stereolithographic 3D printing has been increasingly applied in the rapid fabrication of gels with specially-designed 3D structures. Herein, MXene (Ti 3 C 2 T x ) is reported for the first time as a versatile photo blocker for a photo-curable aqueous ink for a newly developed stereolithography technology (Continuous Liquid Interface Production, CLIP) to fabricate hydrogels with delicate geometries. As an effective photo blocker, the MXene nanosheets can significantly suppress the light scatting in the hydrogel precursor ink during CLIP printing, giving rise to printing quality. Subsequent solvent exchange with glycerin produces an organogel, which shows excellent adhesive properties towards various surfaces, making it a promising adhesive sensor to detect different body movements. Meanwhile, the CLIP-printed organogel demonstrates promise in atmospheric water harvesting taking advantage of the natural hygroscopicity of organogel and excellent light-to-heat conversion performance with MXene nanosheets. Furthermore, the CLIP-printed hollow organogel shows higher efficiency benefiting from larger surface area of hollow organogel. The results of this work strongly suggest that MXene can serve as an effective multifunctional additive for CLIP inks, which may open up new opportunities for the 3D printing of various advanced devices.