In the third part of this video interview series, Bo Zhang from Xiamen University, Xiamen, China, explores the broader implications of using stereolithographic 3D printing for chromatography stationary phases
This segment looks at key considerations for industrial adoption, including scalability, method transfer, and mechanical stability of the printed media under “real-world” conditions. Zhang also discusses the potential economic impact of using customizable, low-cost 3D-printed columns in pharmaceutical manufacturing, and shares his perspective on where the technology may be headed next — including its role in more complex modes like multimodal or affinity chromatography. Watch the short video here.
Reference
Wen, H.; Lu, H.; Zhou, Z.; Sun, K.; Huang, Y.; Zeng, J.; Wang, Y.; Luo, L.; Xu, C.; Xu, J.; Zhang, X.; Wang, X.; Eeltink, S.; Zhang, B. Large Scale Printing of Robust HPLC Medium via Layer‑by‑Layer Stereolithography. Anal. Chem. 2025, 97 (9), 5014‑5021. DOI:10.1021/acs.analchem.4c05587 pubs.acs.org
About The Interviewee
Bo Zhang is an associate professor at Xiamen University in China. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, serves on the Scientific Committee for HPLC2025, and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Separation Science. He also holds a position on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Chromatography A.
His training in separation science began in 1999 at the National Chromatographic Centre, part of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics. He pursued a PhD in chromatography at the University of York in the UK from 2002 to 2007, followed by two years of postdoctoral research at Imperial College London. Since 2009, he has been at Xiamen University, where he leads a research group specializing in chromatography. His team’s work focuses on column technology, the development of advanced chromatographic materials, and microfluidic systems for bioseparations