Enhanced Sol-Gel Production and Robocasting for Artificial Photosynthesis

In this study, a titanium based Sol-Gel solution was derived using a rotary evaporator. By rapidly removing solvents, this tool significantly decreased the time needed to polymerize the solution and drastically accelerated the Sol-Gel process. The original intent of this experiment was to investigate the Sol-Gel's properties as a photocatalyst, however improvements to the materials synthesis took precedence. The properties of this Sol-Gel were also observed in a simple desktop 3D printer. The printers traditional thermoplastic nozzle was modified with a syringe to extrude the highly viscous Sol-Gel into basic shapes and lines.