Photochemically Activated 3D Printing Inks: Current Status, Challenges, and Opportunities

3D printing with light is enabled by the photochemistry underpinning it. Without fine control over our ability to photochemically gate covalent bond formation by the light at a certain wavelength and intensity, advanced photoresists with functions spanning from on-demand degradability, adaptability, rapid printing speeds and tailored functionality are impossible to design. Herein, we critically assess recent advances in photoresist design for light-driven 3D printing applications and provide an outlook of the outstanding challenges and opportunities. We achieve this by classing the discussed photoresists in chemistries that function photoinitiator-free and those that require a photoinitiator to proceed. Such a taxonomy is based on the efficiency with which photons are able to generate covalent bonds, with each concept featuring distinct advantages and drawbacks.