Sedimentation of particles in photopolymerizable suspensions

Abstract An analytical centrifuge was used to examine the sedimentation of concentrated suspensions of refractory‐grade silica particles in acrylate monomer mixtures. Depths for significant dilution or effective particle denudation were determined as a function of sedimentation time, and related to particle size distribution, particle volume fraction, the viscosity of the liquid, and the presence of thixotropic agents. Results for these dispersions are consistent with the Richardson–Zaki equation for hindered settling. The implications on three‐dimensional (3D) printing of photopolymerizable suspensions are discussed.