I love Beaker.  My background is chemistry, so I was excited to hear about the 3D printing of chemical reaction labware and the material to handle it.  As a scientist I’ve know a few times the frustration of not having the perfect piece of equipment to do the job.Many large academic institutions employ a glassblower and fixing the problem using involves many meetings, sketches and weeks of waiting to get a very expensive glass beaker you may only use a couple of weeks.  I thought it was awesome to see a group out of Glasgow 3D printing custom labware and reaction vessels.  This concept has even been published in the journal Chemical Science.

Of course if you’re going to 3D print labware, you need materials to stand-up to the chemicals and temperatures common in chemical reactions.  One company offering such solutions is Arevo.  Arevo makes materials containing carbon nanotubes and carbon fiber like PEEK and RADEL.  We again look forward to hearing about even more exciting materials as use of 3D printing expands!