Low Shrinkage Transparent UV-Cured 3D Printing Hard Silicone Resins

Acrylated silicone elastomers for UV-curing 3D printing have gathered considerable attention in biomedical applications due to their exceptional mechanical and thermal stability. However, traditional manufacturing methods for these resins often face challenges such as stringent conditions and self-polymerization. In this study, various acrylate silicone resins (LMDT-AE) and silicone oils (PDMS-AE) were synthesized through ring-opening hydrolysis-polycondensation. The structures of LMDT-AE and PDMS-AE, with varying AE contents (molar ratio of organic groups to silicon atoms), were characterized using FTIR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and GPC. Additionally, their physical properties, including viscosity, density, refractive index, and transparency, were thoroughly examined. The 3D-AE silicone resin composed of LMDT-AE-2.0 and PDMS-AE-20/1, in a mass ratio of 2:1, demonstrated superior mechanical properties, thermal stability, and curing shrinkage rate compared to other formulations. This curing silicone resin is capable of producing 3D physical entities with smooth surfaces and well-defined contours. It is shown that the successful preparation of transparent and high-strength UV-cured silicone resin based on free radical polymerization can provide a potential path for high-precision biological 3D printing.