Journal article
3D Printing of Poly(methyl methacrylate) by Interfacial Photopolymerization
ACS applied materials & interfaces, v 17(38), pp 53960-53971
16 Sep 2025
PMID: 40955576
Abstract
Established light-based additive manufacturing (AM) processes, such as vat polymerization, utilize nonrecyclable thermoset polymers, posing sustainability concerns. This work presents a method for circular photopolymerization three-dimensional (3D) printing of thermoplastic parts, addressing the demand for low-waste production of complex, high-resolution polymer parts. This is achieved through interfacial photopolymerization (IPP), where linear polymer chains form layerwise into entangled networks at the interface between the immiscible organic and aqueous phases. IPP has previously been demonstrated, but with limited chemistries and without 3D structural control. We demonstrate herein a chemistry to form poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by IPP and a process for multilayer fabrication in a modified commercial projector-based 3D printer. Layer resolution and stability are enhanced using light-absorbing dye and a water-soluble polyethylene glycol (PEG) binder. Postprocessing with controlled air drying and thermal treatment with PEG infiltration preserves geometry and reduces cracking. The resulting composite comprises 75% PEG and 25% PMMA with mechanical properties akin to those of polymer foams. Circularity of the IPP-PMMA process is demonstrated by recycling and reincorporating printed objects across several cycles without significant degradation of properties. Although enhancements in geometric fidelity and mechanical properties are necessary, IPP 3D printing enables, for the first time, digital light processing of recyclable thermoplastic PMMA and PEG-based parts.
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Details
- Title
- 3D Printing of Poly(methyl methacrylate) by Interfacial Photopolymerization
- Creators
- Prajwal Tumkur Mahesh - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCecile A. C. Chazot - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyRichard B. Church - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMichael N. Durso - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCarl J. Thrasher - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMegan A. Creighton - Drexel University, Chemical and Biological EngineeringA. John Hart - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Publication Details
- ACS applied materials & interfaces, v 17(38), pp 53960-53971
- Publisher
- Amer Chemical Soc
- Number of pages
- 12
- Grant note
- National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF) CMMI-2114343 / Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for Engineering (ENG)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001572374200001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105016907197
- Other Identifier
- 991022097939904721
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
- Nanoscience & Nanotechnology