Journal article
Interfacial Photopolymerization: A Method for Light-Based Printing of Thermoplastics
ACS applied materials & interfaces, v 15(25), pp 31009-31019
28 Jun 2023
PMID: 37311094
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Ultraviolet (UV) printing of photopolymers is a widely adopted manufacturing method because of its high resolution and throughput. However, available printable photopolymers are typically thermosets, resulting in challenges in postprocessing and recycling of printed structures. Here, we present a new process called interfacial photopolymerization (IPP) which enables photopolymerization printing of linear chain polymers. In IPP, a polymer film is formed at the interface between two immiscible liquids, one containing a chain-growth monomer and the other containing a photoinitiator. We demonstrate the integration of IPP in a proof-of-concept projection system for printing of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) films and rudimentary multi-layer shapes . IPP shows in-plane and out-of-plane resolutions comparable to conventional photoprinting methods. Cohesive PAN films with number-average molecular weights greater than 15 kg mol–1 are obtained, and to our knowledge this is the first report of photopolymerization printing of PAN. A macrokinetics model of IPP is developed to elucidate the transport and reaction rates involved and evaluate how reaction parameters affect film thickness and print speed. Last, demonstration of IPP in a multilayer scheme suggests its suitabiliy for three-dimensional printing of linear-chain polymers.
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Details
- Title
- Interfacial Photopolymerization: A Method for Light-Based Printing of Thermoplastics
- Creators
- Cécile A. C. Chazot - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMegan A. Creighton - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyA. John Hart - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Publication Details
- ACS applied materials & interfaces, v 15(25), pp 31009-31019
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society; Washington, DC
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001008552000001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85163766850
- Other Identifier
- 991021229897904721
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InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
- Nanoscience & Nanotechnology