Synthesis of PEGDA and Influence of Curing Time on the Experimental and Numerical Analysis of DLP-Printed Scaffolds

Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) has gained significant attention in biomedical research and 3D printing due to its biocompatibility, customizable mechanical properties, and ease of processing. Its acrylate functional groups facilitate UV-induced crosslinking and chemical modifications. This study produced and characterized PEGDA under 5 to 30 s curing times to assess its potential as a biomaterial. PEGDA was synthesized and confirmed using 1H-NMR and FTIR analysis, which showed that the material’s structure aligned with the existing literature. A 15% hydrogel solution was prepared using PEGDA, and curing times were adjusted using the DLP printer. FTIR analysis indicated the consumption of the terminal acrylate C=C groups, which is generally reflected by a decrease in the characteristic acrylate bands at approximately 1640 and 810 cm−1 in the FTIR spectra. Compression tests revealed an increase in compressive strength from 14.08 kPa at 5 s to 53.48 kPa at 30 s. Additionally, after 5 s, the elastic modulus was measured at 42.23 kPa, and it increased to 160.44 kPa at 30 s, demonstrating an enhancement in the material’s stiffness. Numerical and theoretical natural frequencies increased, further supporting the role of curing time in material optimization. Finally, 30 s of curing exhibited more swelling and less degradation, confirming the role of curing time in controlling material behavior. These findings highlight PEGDA’s potential for biomaterial development in tissue engineering.