July 1, 2002 -- Using colloidal gels--inks--as construction materials, researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque have devised a procedure for building intricate three-dimensional structures with micrometer-sized features and overall dimensions of a few millimeters. The new method may lead to applications in advanced ceramics, photonic materials, catalyst supports, and other areas. More...