3D Printing High-Performance Photopolymers Based on High-Temperature Photopolymerization Technology

Low strength and inadequate temperature resistance of photopolymers strictly limited the development of current photopolymerization three dimensional (3D) printing technology. Nonetheless, by modifying polymer monomers with high glass transition temperatures, polymers typically involve intricate synthesis and thermal curing steps, leading to elevated costs and compromising the rapid manufacturing benefits of 3D printing. Therefore, we developed a high-temperature photopolymerization 3D printing technique for printing heat-resistant photopolymers to avoid complex monomer synthesis and thermal-curing processes. The printing temperature was kept at 60 °C by heating the printing space, and the photopolymers kept a low viscosity during the printing process and achieved 3D printing directly. Based on the optimized printing process, the tensile strength of the photopolymers achieved 86 MPa, the glass transition temperature is 225 °C with a 10% weight loss temperature of 405 °C and processes at a cost of only 110 RMB/kg, much lower than various high-temperature resistance resins. This work effectively addresses the major defects of existing photopolymers, greatly expanding the application range of photopolymerization 3D printing technology.