Developing non-isocyanate urethane-methacrylate photo-monomers for 3D printing application

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering

Background:

• Traditional synthesis of urethane-methacrylates often involves toxic isocyanates and tin compounds.
• There is a growing demand for safer, high-performance monomers for advanced applications like 3D printing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize urethane-methacrylate photo-monomers via a non-isocyanate route.
• To investigate the structure-property relationships of these novel monomers.
• To evaluate their suitability for 3D printing biomedical materials.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of monomers by reacting aliphatic amines with cyclic carbonates, followed by methacrylation.
• Characterization of photo-reactivity and physicomechanical properties of cured samples.
• 3D printing using a digital light processing machine with developed inks.

Main Results:

• Monomers derived from propylene carbonate showed high photo-reactivity (Rp,max = 6.59 × 10⁻² s⁻¹) and conversion (DBCtotal = 85%).
• Monomers incorporating ether bonds (from 1,4-butanediol bis(3-aminopropyl) ether) exhibited improved photo-reactivity (Rp,max = 8.18 × 10⁻² s⁻¹), high conversion (DBCtotal = 86%), and enhanced flexibility due to reduced hydrogen bonding.
• Successful 3D printing of an ink formulated from these monomers was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The non-isocyanate route offers a safe and effective method for producing urethane-methacrylates.
• Monomer structure significantly influences photo-reactivity and mechanical properties.
• These novel monomers are promising candidates for formulating inks for 3D printing of biomedical materials.