Martin Taylor Sobczak

A bioinspired three-channel coaxial dry-jet wet-spinning platform enables continuous TPU/PLA multilayer vascular grafts with tunable mechanics, a collagen-functionalized lumen, and favorable preliminary vascular-cell and blood compatibility.

Inkjet printing enables scalable fabrication of nanomaterial-based devices, but stable droplet formation and reproducible deposition remain challenging for emerging nanosheet inks. In this work, we develop a model-guided inkjet printing framework that monitors and optimizes droplet generation based on fluid properties and nozzle dynamics. Unlike previous MXene inkjet printing studies that primarily rely on empirical parameter tuning and focus on ink formulation or device performance, the proposed framework employs a physics-based analytical model that quantitatively links waveform parameters, fluid properties, nozzle dynamics, and droplet behavior. This predictive approach enables rational waveform design for stable single-droplet ejection, minimizes satellite droplet formation, and reduces the need for extensive experimental calibration. MXene (Ti3C2Tx) nanosheets dispersed in ethanol are used as a representative conductive ink to demonstrate the capability of the optimized printing approach. Under model-guided printing conditions, the system achieves reliable pattern formation and enables fabrication of printed MXene devices that exhibit measurable responses to several gases relevant to agricultural environments. These results demonstrate that analytical-model-guided monitoring and optimization of the inkjet printing process provides a predictive and generalizable strategy for reproducible printing of nanomaterial-based devices.

While the photoluminescence of (Et ₂ NH ₂ ) ₃ SbCl ₆ is diminished by thermal quenching and FRET, Sb ³⁺ doping of the (Et ₂ NH ₂ ) ₃ InCl ₆ phase performed by three distinct approaches (solution, melting–cooling, and solid state) improved PLQYs up to 86%.

Hierarchical porous materials enable next‐generation protective, thermal, and biomedical devices by leveraging multiscale architectures with tunable mechanical and thermal properties. Current 3D printing techniques mainly yield periodic lattices and support limited polymer types, restricting patterning possibilities and scalability. Stochastic foam architectures, with heterogeneous and interconnected pores, mimic biological structures for improved energy dissipation and functional adaptability. However, scalable additive manufacturing of such foams remains scarcely explored. Here, a direct ink writing (DIW) strategy couples static mixer‐enabled reactive extrusion and in situ polymerization to manufacture stochastic polyurethane (PU) foams at ambient conditions, eliminating post‐processing. Precise control over pore size (0.2 µm to 1.2 mm), porosity (65–95%), and open‐cell architecture delivers thermal conductivities down to 0.067 W m ⁻¹ K ⁻¹ and elastic recovery exceeding 90% after 5000 cycles. A multi‐agent artificial intelligence framework enables the patterning of spatially organized, bioinspired motifs into print‐ready CAD geometries, resulting in architecturally structured foams with tailored anisotropy and spatial thermal management. Flow‐rate modulation further tunes morphology, optimizing the balance between stiffness and damping. This manufacturing platform integrates stochastic pore formation, AI‐guided patterning, and mechanical–thermal optimization to realize scalable, customizable materials for impact protection, wearable thermotherapy, and adaptive healthcare, advancing digital manufacturing, smart materials, and personalized function.

Recycling wind turbine blades (WTBs) is challenging due to their thermoset glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRPs), which resist chemical and thermal processing. Current methods yield low-value byproducts, underscoring the urgent need for scalable, high-value upcycling technologies. This study explores the reinforcement of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix fibers using glass fibers (GFs) recovered from WTB, aiming to develop high-performance, sustainable composite materials. A systematic investigation was conducted to assess the influence of both GF concentration and layer number on the crystallinity and mechanical properties of PAN fibers. Structural evolution was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), while mechanical behavior was evaluated through tensile testing. For the 256-layered fibers, the incorporation of GF increases the activation energy for cyclization by 17.75%, rising from 114.36 kJ/mol in pure PAN fibers to 134.56 kJ/mol in PAN-GF composites. XRD analysis also revealed a significant increase in crystallinity from 46.33% in PAN to 68.56% in PAN-GF. A corresponding increase in crystallite size was observed, suggesting that GF serves as a structural template, promoting PAN chain alignment and enhanced microstructural ordering. This integrated approach demonstrates the effectiveness of incorporating GF, thereby providing valuable insights into the relationship between fiber architecture and interfacial engineering while highlighting a promising pathway for upcycling end-of-life WTB components into advanced functional materials.

The disposal of wind turbine blade (WTB) waste poses a significant environmental challenge due to its high volume and complex composition. This study introduces an innovative approach to address this issue by repurposing WTB-derived glass fibers (GF) into high-performance polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-GF composite fibers through a scalable dry-jet wet spinning and forced assembly process. By integrating alternating layers of PAN and PAN-GF, layer thickness was precisely controlled to the micrometer scale, ensuring enhanced GF dispersion and improved orientation through shear stress at layer interfaces. The individual layer thickness in the multilayered PAN-GF fibers decreased progressively with an increasing number of layers, with 32-layered fibers exhibiting comparatively thicker layers, while 256-layered fibers demonstrated significantly thinner layers. The effects of WTB-GF incorporation on the thermal and mechanical properties of PAN fibers were examined using tensile testing and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Using GF loadings of 1–4 wt %, the 256-layered composite fibers demonstrated remarkable mechanical improvements, with stiffness (modulus) increasing by 54.7% from 15.10 to 23.37 GPa and tensile strength rising by 27.2% from 521.71 to 663.66 MPa compared to pure PAN fibers. TGA results indicate that increasing the GF content leads to higher residual weight at 900 °C, reflecting enhanced thermal stability and greater char yield. The 256-layered 10PAN-4GF fibers showed the highest residual mass (41.23 wt %), highlighting the significant contribution of GF reinforcement to thermal stabilization. Heat treatment further transformed these precursor fibers into carbonized fibers (CF) with exceptional thermal stability and performance under extreme conditions. This process highlights a sustainable pathway for reusing WTB waste and producing advanced composite fibers, making them ideal candidates for demanding applications such as aerospace and space exploration.

This article explores the environmental sustainability of recycling decommissioned wind turbine blades to produce polyacrylonitrile fiber. By comparing greenhouse gas emissions across various scales of production in different regions, including the US and Europe, the study highlights how cleaner energy grids, such as those in France, can substantially reduce the carbon footprint. The carbonization and graphitization stages, identified as highly energy-intensive, underscore the need for energy-efficient techniques and alternative energy sources. The study reveals significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions with scalable production, demonstrating US production emissions reduced to 3.89 kg CO₂ equiv/kg fiber and European production to 3.28 kg CO₂ equiv/kg fiber from a lab scale of at least one order of magnitude higher. The findings emphasize the importance of sustainable raw materials, green chemistry, and renewable energy in enhancing the sustainability of carbon fiber production and promoting a circular economy in wind energy.

This study introduces a biomimetic approach to 3D printing multilayered hierarchical porous membranes (MHMs) using Direct Ink Writing (DIW) technology. Fabricated through a fast layer-by-layer printing process with varying concentrations of pore-forming agents, the produced MHMs mimic the hierarchical pore structure and filtration capabilities of natural soil systems. As a result, the 3D-printed MHMs achieved an impressive oil rejection rate of 99.02% and demonstrated exceptional reusability, maintaining a flux recovery ratio of 99.48% even after hours of continuous filtration. Moreover, the 3D-printed MHMs exhibit superior hierarchical porous architecture and mechanical integrity compared to traditional flat sheet single-layered membranes. This study presents a significant advancement for scalable 3D printing of customized multilayer membranes with tailored porosity and high-performance filtration properties. The simplicity, versatility, and cost-effectiveness of the presented manufacturing method offer a pathway for advanced design and on-demand membrane production.

Our polyvinyl alcohol feedstock was prepared through carbic anhydride functionalization, UV curing during direct ink writing, and base treatment. The scaffold exhibited mechanical properties similar to pelvic floor tissue.