Biobased Acrylate Photocurable Resin Formulation for Stereolithography 3D Printing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• The transition to a circular economy necessitates the development of renewable materials for advanced manufacturing processes.
• Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, particularly stereolithography (SLA), offer potential for creating complex structures from novel materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize biobased acrylate photopolymer resins for SLA 3D printing.
• To evaluate the printability, mechanical properties, and resolution of these novel biobased resins.
• To assess the potential of these materials for sustainable product manufacturing.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of four distinct biobased acrylate photopolymer resins with varying biobased content (34-67%).
• Characterization of resin viscosity and polymerizability using a commercial SLA 3D printer with UV-laser curing.
• Evaluation of the mechanical (stiffness) and thermal properties of the 3D printed prototypes.
• Assessment of print resolution, microarchitecture, and surface finishing of the fabricated objects.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of complex prototypes using biobased resins in an SLA 3D printer.
• All resin formulations exhibited suitable viscosity and UV-laser polymerizability.
• Increased double-bond concentration led to stiffer and more thermally resilient printed products.
• High-viscosity resins produced high-resolution prototypes with intricate microarchitecture and superior surface finish, comparable to conventional resins.

Conclusions:

• Biobased acrylate photopolymer resins are viable for SLA 3D printing, producing high-quality prototypes.
• These materials support the development of sustainable products and contribute to the circular economy.
• The developed resins offer a promising alternative to nonrenewable materials in additive manufacturing.