Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a prevalent form of 3D printing with a large historical precedence for thermoplastic elastomers, commonly including ABS and polycarbonate. Although the study of these polymers is widespread, there is a lack of research to develop new materials for FDM, making research into novel materials extremely valuable.<br/>Poly(ether ester)s represent a promising class of water-soluble polymers, with previous research utilizing these systems in ion exchange and battery applications. In this previous work, poly(ether ester)s are synthesized with low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dimethyl 5-sulfoisophthalate (SIP) to achieve a family of ionic PEGs with varying counter cation. While the precedence of these materials exists in literature, higher molecular weight PEG, as well as ion exchange to evaluate divalent counterions, offers additional functional handles for potential modifications. In this work, water-soluble poly(ether ester)s are synthesized and characterized for their use in low-temperature FDM. The poly(ether ester)s undergo ion exchanges to further enhance their rheological properties. In particular, the exchange to divalent counter cations induces a sharp increase in melt viscosity, which is key to successful printing (Figure 1). Interestingly, this exchange does not affect the room-temperature properties of the material, indicating that a change in counterion does not affect the properties of the final printed part. Extrusion 3D printing of poly(ether ester)s with a calcium countercation is achieved at 70 °C, creating parts that exhibit fine features without stringing between gaps. Furthermore, the angle at which these parts can be printed exceeds that of ABS, indicating the integrity of the final printed part. These copolymers represent a class of materials suitable for low-temperature FDM while also imparting water solubility onto the printed part.

Water-Soluble ion-containing poly(ether ester)s for extrusion 3D printing

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.