Daryl Yee
@dryeeseeks.bsky.social
Assistant Professor EPFL | Laboratory for the Chemistry of Materials and Manufacturing | 🇸🇬 | random thoughts about science,🥏, OP👒, and life in🇨🇭
It’s fondue season up in here
November 10, 2025 at 4:48 PM
It’s fondue season up in here
Test print of our new nano/micro-scale printer!
November 5, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Test print of our new nano/micro-scale printer!
Saw the swiss alps with a colleague yesterday ✈️
November 1, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Saw the swiss alps with a colleague yesterday ✈️
It’s here!
(Many thanks to the funding agencies and colleagues for making this happen)
(Many thanks to the funding agencies and colleagues for making this happen)
October 25, 2025 at 9:41 AM
It’s here!
(Many thanks to the funding agencies and colleagues for making this happen)
(Many thanks to the funding agencies and colleagues for making this happen)
Just saw this on my computer. I didn't think I worked this hard 😅
October 24, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Just saw this on my computer. I didn't think I worked this hard 😅
Beautiful science in a beautiful location.
October 10, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Beautiful science in a beautiful location.
To show the material, size, and geometric versatility of this technology, we made a variety of metal parts and even hard magnets! (5/7)
September 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM
To show the material, size, and geometric versatility of this technology, we made a variety of metal parts and even hard magnets! (5/7)
With such high metal loadings, we were able to reduce the polymer-to-metal shrinkage while simultaneously increasing part density. These materials now significantly outperform the state of the art (including our previous work!) (3/7)
September 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM
With such high metal loadings, we were able to reduce the polymer-to-metal shrinkage while simultaneously increasing part density. These materials now significantly outperform the state of the art (including our previous work!) (3/7)
The trick: we figured out a way to progressively grow inorganic nanoparticles within the hydrogel to achieve extremely high loading of metals (up to 80wt%). We were able to track the growth, which allowed us to obtain some beautiful images of metal dendrite growth within polymers. (Sauron!) (2/7)
September 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The trick: we figured out a way to progressively grow inorganic nanoparticles within the hydrogel to achieve extremely high loading of metals (up to 80wt%). We were able to track the growth, which allowed us to obtain some beautiful images of metal dendrite growth within polymers. (Sauron!) (2/7)
What a beautiful location!
September 16, 2025 at 2:05 PM
What a beautiful location!
Trying to go to more European conferences = first time in Poland in over 10 years!
September 15, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Trying to go to more European conferences = first time in Poland in over 10 years!
Engineering: When you need to stir something that is less dense than your solvent.
August 19, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Engineering: When you need to stir something that is less dense than your solvent.
Hot days (>30C) without AC
We are so back
We are so back
August 12, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Hot days (>30C) without AC
We are so back
We are so back
Guess we ran out of balloons
August 11, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Guess we ran out of balloons
Love me some annealing twins
August 3, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Love me some annealing twins
Over the past 6 months, we’ve been dabbling (very very lightly) into the world of lab automation.
Wise words from the engineer leading this project today.
Wise words from the engineer leading this project today.
July 30, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Over the past 6 months, we’ve been dabbling (very very lightly) into the world of lab automation.
Wise words from the engineer leading this project today.
Wise words from the engineer leading this project today.
TIL that you can get hydrochloric acid like this. I have no idea why we bought this. It’s giving boxed wine / to-go vibes.
July 11, 2025 at 4:57 PM
TIL that you can get hydrochloric acid like this. I have no idea why we bought this. It’s giving boxed wine / to-go vibes.
Finally, we can use this approach to make multimaterial structures as well. By controlling where infusion and/or precipitation happens, you can spatially control the formation of the filler.
Here, we only grew the iron oxide on the top surface of the spring! (7/8)
Here, we only grew the iron oxide on the top surface of the spring! (7/8)
July 10, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Finally, we can use this approach to make multimaterial structures as well. By controlling where infusion and/or precipitation happens, you can spatially control the formation of the filler.
Here, we only grew the iron oxide on the top surface of the spring! (7/8)
Here, we only grew the iron oxide on the top surface of the spring! (7/8)
But what's fun is that you can use this approach to grow all kinds of nanoparticles. You just need to adapt the infusion-precipitation conditions appropriately.
Here, we grew two kinds of fillers. We first grew iron oxide and then silver, which is why it appears silver but is magnetic (6/8)
Here, we grew two kinds of fillers. We first grew iron oxide and then silver, which is why it appears silver but is magnetic (6/8)
July 10, 2025 at 3:19 PM
But what's fun is that you can use this approach to grow all kinds of nanoparticles. You just need to adapt the infusion-precipitation conditions appropriately.
Here, we grew two kinds of fillers. We first grew iron oxide and then silver, which is why it appears silver but is magnetic (6/8)
Here, we grew two kinds of fillers. We first grew iron oxide and then silver, which is why it appears silver but is magnetic (6/8)
Here's one example: we use the classic ammonia-induced coprecipitation of FeCl3 and FeCl2 to form iron oxide. By tuning the number of infusion-coprecipitation cycles, we can control the wt% of iron oxide, and by extension, the magnetic properties of the composite (5/8)
July 10, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Here's one example: we use the classic ammonia-induced coprecipitation of FeCl3 and FeCl2 to form iron oxide. By tuning the number of infusion-coprecipitation cycles, we can control the wt% of iron oxide, and by extension, the magnetic properties of the composite (5/8)
To grow the particles, we first infuse the polymer with the desired metal precursors, and then use a second reagent to initiate a precipitation reaction, forming the filler.
What's fun is that you can repeat this infusion-precipitation cycle to keep increasing the wt% of the filler! (4/8)
What's fun is that you can repeat this infusion-precipitation cycle to keep increasing the wt% of the filler! (4/8)
July 10, 2025 at 3:19 PM
To grow the particles, we first infuse the polymer with the desired metal precursors, and then use a second reagent to initiate a precipitation reaction, forming the filler.
What's fun is that you can repeat this infusion-precipitation cycle to keep increasing the wt% of the filler! (4/8)
What's fun is that you can repeat this infusion-precipitation cycle to keep increasing the wt% of the filler! (4/8)
A big challenge with VAM is that you need highly transparent resins. This means that it is really difficult to print composites since the fillers in the resin scatter light. Even more so if the fillers are non-index matched, strongly absorbing, or are in large quantities. (2/8)
July 10, 2025 at 3:19 PM
A big challenge with VAM is that you need highly transparent resins. This means that it is really difficult to print composites since the fillers in the resin scatter light. Even more so if the fillers are non-index matched, strongly absorbing, or are in large quantities. (2/8)
Gotta celebrate the small wins: a nice 3D printed “stent” we made recently :D
May 23, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Gotta celebrate the small wins: a nice 3D printed “stent” we made recently :D
My group planned a mini chem-themed scavenger hunt. 10/10 for effort 🙏
May 19, 2025 at 6:44 PM
My group planned a mini chem-themed scavenger hunt. 10/10 for effort 🙏