South Carolina Patent of the Month – February 2025
Battelle Savannah River Alliance has unveiled a breakthrough in additive manufacturing, bringing unprecedented precision and control to the chemical makeup of 3D-printed materials. By modifying the very chemistry of polymers as they’re deposited—rather than afterward—this invention shifts the paradigm. Within a pressurized chamber, material is extruded layer by layer while simultaneously exposed to a gas-phase reactive agent, sometimes coupled with focused energy such as a laser or electron beam. This exposure initiates chemical transformations that penetrate beneath the surface, affecting up to 300 nanometers of each layer’s depth.
The result? A gradient of chemical modification across the material, allowing for customized mechanical, thermal, or chemical properties that can vary within a single printed component. Unlike traditional methods, which treat materials only before or after fabrication, this technique integrates structural enhancement directly into the build process. The system’s environment—pressure, humidity, and temperature—is precisely controlled, enabling consistent, repeatable modifications.
This advancement opens new possibilities in creating durable, high-performance components for aerospace, biomedical, and industrial applications. Materials like polyamides, polyesters, biodegradable polymers, and others can be tuned on demand—bonded covalently or noncovalently, crosslinked, or functionalized with select chemical groups. Whether blending multiple materials or adjusting modifications layer by layer, the flexibility of this approach elevates additive manufacturing beyond structural replication and into the realm of functional design. Through this innovation, Battelle Savannah River Alliance is not just building parts—they’re engineering their behavior from the inside out.
Are you developing new technology for an existing application? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? Even if your development isn’t successful your work may still qualify for R&D credits (i.e. you don’t need to have a patent to qualify). To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.
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