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A 4D-Printable Photocurable Resin Derived from Waste Cooking Oil with Enhanced Tensile Strength
Yan Liu1, Meng-Yu Liu1, Xin-Gang Fan1
1College of Materials Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 11, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed 4D-printable resins from waste cooking oil, enhancing mechanical strength and shape memory. These sustainable materials offer a promising alternative for high-performance intelligent devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Sustainable Engineering
Background:
- Developing high-performance 4D-printable materials from sustainable sources is crucial for reducing reliance on petroleum-based products.
- Waste cooking oil (WCO) presents a viable feedstock for creating novel polymers with tailored properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel 4D-printable photocurable resins derived from waste cooking oil (WCO).
- To enhance the mechanical properties, particularly tensile strength, and investigate the shape memory and biodegradability of WCO-based resins.
Main Methods:
- Acrylate modification of WCO to produce epoxy waste oil methacrylate (EWOMA) and epoxy waste oil acrylate (EWOA).
- Formulation of photocurable resins using WCO derivatives, diacrylate monomers (e.g., triethylene glycol dimethacrylate - TEGDMA), and a photoinitiator system.
- 3D printing using an LCD light-curing system and mechanical property testing (tensile strength, elongation at break).
- Evaluation of shape memory performance and biodegradability through soil degradation tests.
Main Results:
- The optimal WCO-based resin, a blend of EWOA and TEGDMA (1:1 ratio), exhibited a tensile strength of 9.17 MPa and elongation at break of 15.39%, comparable to petroleum-based materials.
- This EWOA-TEGDMA resin demonstrated excellent thermally induced shape memory, with recovery at room temperature and shape retention at -60 °C.
- The material showed favorable biodegradability, with 8.34% weight loss after 45 days of soil degradation.
Conclusions:
- Acrylate-modified WCO, specifically EWOA combined with TEGDMA, yields high-performance 4D-printable resins with superior mechanical and shape memory properties.
- These WCO-derived resins offer a sustainable and versatile alternative for applications such as intelligent devices, molds, and folding structures.
- The developed materials contribute to the circular economy by valorizing waste cooking oil into advanced functional products.
