Glycine (C2H5NO2) - Multi-Color 3D Molecule Model

Glycine (C2H5NO2) - Multi-Color 3D Molecular Model (Space-Filling Spheres)

An accurate, educational 3D printable model of Glycine (C2H5NO2) in classic Space-Filling (van der Waals / CPK Spheres) style. Ideal for chemistry classrooms, students, researchers, science educators, or as a vibrant desk display.

Printed in a single piece using multi-material systems (Prusa MMU3, Bambu AMS, Toolchangers) — no gluing or assembly required!

Generated with the web tool 3D Print Molecules.

🧪 About the Molecule

Glycine is the smallest and simplest amino acid, possessing a single hydrogen atom as its side chain.

• Chemical Formula: C2H5NO2

• IUPAC / Common Name: Glycine

• Structure Coordinates: pubchem

💡 Did You Know?

Glycine is the only achiral amino acid—it has no left- or right-handed (D/L) mirror versions! It is also literally sweet-tasting, taking its name from the Greek word 'glykys' (sweet), and was famously detected in the dust tail of comet Wild 2 by NASA's Stardust spacecraft!

🌟 Real-World Uses & Fascinating Facts

• 🦴 Collagen Backbone: Every third amino acid residue in human collagen is glycine! Its miniature size allows the three helical strands to pack tightly into strong tendons, skin, and bones.

• 💤 Deep Restful Sleep: Supplementing 3 grams before bedtime lowers core body temperature and promotes restorative non-REM deep sleep without morning grogginess.

• 🧠 Spinal Reflex Inhibition: Functions alongside GABA as the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the spinal cord, controlling motor reflexes.

🧠 Biological Role & Science Notes

Glycine's minimal steric bulk permits protein backbone conformations that are forbidden to all other 19 amino acids (occupying unique regions on the Ramachandran plot). It is also an essential substrate for synthesizing heme in red blood cells, purine nucleotides, and creatine.

🔬 Scientific Precision

• van der Waals Radii: Proportions strictly match standard physical van der Waals radii (Bondi, 1964).

• Conformational Reality: Geometry reflects the lowest-energy real-world conformation derived from computational force fields (MMFF94) and crystallographic/quantum benchmarks.

• CPK Color Standard: Colors follow the classic international Corey-Pauling-Koltun (CPK) palette.

🚀 Why Use the 3D Print Molecules Web App? (3dmolekuly.vscht.cz)

This model was generated using our web visualizer designed to make multi-color 3D printing of molecules seamless:

• 🎯 Automatic Multi-Part Mesh for Multi-Color Printing: No manual cutting or CAD modeling required. The generator automatically isolates each chemical element into separate manifold bodies so PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, and OrcaSlicer immediately assign colors!

• 🔬 Authentic Space-Filling Volumes: Generates clean, manifold overlapping sphere volumes reflecting real molecular geometry.

• ⚙ Full Customization: Adjust atom diameters, mesh resolution, scale (mm/Å), and toggle hydrogen atoms on or off.

• 🎓 Free & Web-Based: Developed at the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (VŠCHT Praha). Free to use, runs right in your browser with zero installation.

(📸 Check the web app screenshot in the photos to view the model loaded in the visualizer with the settings panel!)

🖨 Multi-Material Printing Instructions

• Style: Space-Filling Spheres (CPK)

• Assembly: None! Printed in one solid piece with multi-material systems.

• Element Color Assignments:

• Carbon (C): Black / Dark Grey

• Hydrogen (H): White

• Oxygen (O): Red

• Nitrogen (N): Blue

• Recommended Layer Height: 0.16 mm (optimal for smooth sphere curves) – 0.20 mm

• Perimeters / Walls: 3

• Infill: 15% Gyroid

• Supports: Tree / Organic supports recommended (use PETG support interface on PLA for 0mm contact distance)

💡 Support Interface Trick for Flawless Spheres

When printing PLA with multi-material units (MMU3, AMS, Toolchanger): Set your Support Interface Material to PETG with Top Z distance = 0 mm. Because PLA and PETG do not bond to each other, the organic/tree supports detach effortlessly by hand with zero surface scarring, leaving the spherical atoms perfectly smooth!

🔗 Customize Your Model or Create Any Molecule!

Need different tolerances for your printer, larger/smaller atoms, or want to export another molecule entirely?

👉 Open and customize directly in the 3D Print Molecules App

Created with ❤ at the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (VŠCHT Praha) • 3dmolekuly.vscht.cz