A Regression Approach to Model Refractive Index Measurements of Novel 3D Printable Photocurable Resins for...

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Micro-optofluidic (MoF) devices require materials with precise optical properties.
• Accurate determination of refractive index is crucial for MoF device performance.
• Existing methods for refractive index measurement can be complex or costly for novel 3D printable materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple and cost-effective quadratic polynomial regression model for determining the refractive index of 3D printable photocurable resins.
• To establish a reliable method for evaluating novel resins for micro-optofluidic applications.
• To enable comparison of optical data between traditional and novel MoF materials.

Main Methods:

• Developed a quadratic polynomial regression model correlating optical transmission measurements with known refractive indices.
• Designed and implemented a novel, cost-effective experimental setup for transmission measurements of 3D printed samples.
• Validated the model using photocurable resins and applied it to novel materials for vat photopolymerization (VP).

Main Results:

• Successfully developed and validated a regression model for refractive index determination.
• The model accurately measures refractive indices for 3D printed samples with low surface roughness (0.04–2 μm).
• Determined the refractive index of novel photocurable resins suitable for MoF device fabrication.

Conclusions:

• The developed model provides a quick and efficient method for assessing the refractive index of 3D printable resins.
• This facilitates the selection of materials for micro-optofluidic devices in biological and biomedical applications.
• The model supports the suitability evaluation of novel resins within a refractive index range of 1.56–1.70 for MoF fabrication.