Innovative Metal‐Modified Resins via <scp>3D</scp> Printing of Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Structures
ABSTRACT This study presents the fabrication of Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) supports containing nickel as the active phase via Masked Stereolithography (MSLA). The incorporation of the catalytic precursor into the UV‐curable matrix was achieved by introducing a dual‐monomer system consisting of 2‐(Diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) and 2‐Acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPSA) that actively participate in the photopolymerization process while simultaneously ensuring a homogeneous nickel distribution. The developed formulation (Recipe B) successfully incorporated a 10 wt.% loading of nickel nitrate and exhibited a viscosity comparable to commercial resins. Schwarz Primitive (P) structures with a 4 mm cell size and 0.4 solidity were successfully printed. Micro‐CT and SEM–EDX analyzes confirmed a uniform distribution of the metal phase throughout the 3D‐printed objects, revealing a predominant particle size of 40 μm. Furthermore, cross‐sectional imaging highlighted that UV light scattering induced by the nickel resulted in a slight thickening of the channel walls. TGA and water stability tests indicated thermal stability up to 100°C and a negligible mass loss below 4% in aqueous environments. Additionally, uniaxial compression tests demonstrated enhanced flexibility for the Recipe B samples compared to the commercial Flex 80 resin. By combining an interconnected cellular design with a uniform incorporation of the active phase, these 3D‐printed structures show significant potential for catalytic applications where open fluid pathways are essential.
Authors
- Cătălin Zaharia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7522-467X)
- Rafael Luque (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4190-1916)
- Erika Blânzeanu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3906-4410)
- Derniza‐Elena Cozorici (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1718-5472)
- Bogdan S. Vasile
- Ionut‐Cristian Radu
- Marian N. Verziu
Institutions
- Universidad Ecotec (EC)
- Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie Politehnica București (RO)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Applied Polymer Science
- Published
- 2026-07-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/app.71227
- Primary Topic
- Block Copolymer Self-Assembly
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00