Figure 3.

Release of cured PDMS prints by using NaCl solution to decrease yield stress and viscosity. (A) Rheometry of Carbopol gels diluted in water and in PBS buffer demonstrated a thinning behavior in the presence of ionic buffer solutions, whereby they transition from a yield-stress fluid to a shear-thinning fluid. (B) An example of a FRE printed PDMS cylinder (dyed black) in the Carbopol support submerged in a larger beaker consisting of PBS and a magnetically driven stir bar for mechanical agitation. (C) A time-lapse showing the print being released from the Carbopol support by taking advantage of this thinning behavior. Apparent image blurriness is an effect of the Carbopol suspension.