Jerusalem, 5 October, 2025 (TPS-IL) — israeli scientists have achieved a breakthrough in 3D printing by developing the first method to print glass without the use of binders or extreme heat. The team’s approach uses light to trigger a chemical reaction that forms silica structures directly, eliminating the need for organic additives that have long complicated glass 3D printing.
Glass is essential to modern technology, from fiber optics that transmit data across the globe to microfluidic chips used in medical diagnostics. While 3D printing has promised the ability to produce highly customized glass components, traditional methods have required organic binders to hold the material in place during printing. These binders must later be burned out, a process that can create cracks, shrinkage, or loss of precision.
“For centuries, glass has been shaped by fire, sand, and patience,” said Prof. Shlomo Magdassi of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute of Chemistry, who led the research team that included scientists Amir Reisinger and Natanel Jarach. “This approach brings it into the 21st century. By making glass 3D printing cleaner and more versatile, we’re opening the door to applications that touch every aspect of modern life.”
The Hebrew University team sidestepped this challenge by developing a photo-induced inorganic sol-gel reaction. When exposed to light, the material solidifies into precise silica structures without any glue or binder. The process requires only a moderate 250 °C treatment to achieve porous glass with a degree of transparency, far below the >1000 °C typical in conventional glassmaking. The research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Materials Today.
The method is compatible with standard digital light processing (DLP) printers and can produce centimeter-scale objects rather than tiny prototypes. It also reduces chemical waste and energy consumption, making it a more sustainable alternative to traditional glass manufacturing.
“This is more than a laboratory experiment,” said Reisinger. “We can now create complex, high-performance glass structures that were previously impossible. The potential applications in optics, biomedical engineering, and microfluidics are enormous.”
The binder-free 3D printing of glass opens up a wide range of practical applications across multiple fields because it allows for precise, customizable, and cleaner production of silica structures. In optics and photonics, it enables micro-lenses, waveguides, and optical filters with intricate geometries. In biomedical engineering, it could produce implantable devices, tissue scaffolds, and lab-on-a-chip platforms, while in research and industry it supports microreactors, chemical-handling glass channels, and high-precision sensors or Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems.
Beyond science and technology, the approach also opens new possibilities in art and design, allowing the manufacture of complex decorative or functional glass objects that were previously impossible to make.
According to Magdassi, the breakthrough could redefine the way glass is designed and produced. “By removing the limitations of binders and extreme heat, we can finally realize the full potential of glass in modern technology,” he said.
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