A new 3D printing technique can make tiny intricate structures from ice droplets
The method uses a jet of water in a vacuum, where the low pressure makes the water evaporate and cool, similar to how evaporating sweat cools skin. The cooled water in the jet then freezes when it hits previously deposited ice below.The technique uses a standard 3D printer, letting researchers create almost any geometric shape, and the process takes about half an hour for an 8 centimetre tall object.
This ice printing method could eventually be used to produce structures on the moon or Mars, where the air pressure is naturally much lower.
