Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, revolutionizes the fabrication of unique and complex architectures in a layer-by-layer approach. In concert with engineering innovation, design and synthesis of novel polymers is crucial for the development of these technologies beyond their current limitations.  A unique synthetic strategy involving simultaneous photo-polymerization and crosslinking of acrylate systems during vat photo-polymerization printing printing overcomes traditional material challenges associated with the technique. This novel approach combines processing advantages of low molecular weight systems with tunable (thermo) mechanical performance similar to high molecular weight polymer networks.  Additionally, unrivaled fabrication of polyimide structures with micron-scale resolution is possible through solvent-based vat-photpolymerization printing.  Synthesis of poly(amic diethyl acrylate ester) as novel photo-crosslinkable precursors enables printing of novel 3D organogels. After thermal treatment, these objects isotropically shrink and imidize to produce high-resolution thermoplastic polyimide objects.<br/>Ion-containing polymers introduce unique functionality and processing advantages to 3D printing.  Targeted material design provides novel poly(ether ester) ionomers suitable for fused deposition modeling (FDM) additive manufacturing.  Standard synthesis through melt polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) and sulfonated isophthalate produces a printable, water-soluble ionomer.  Ion exchange to divalent counter-ions such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc provides a high degree of tunability in melt viscosity.  Poly(ether esters) ionomers with calcium counterions yielded flexible filmanent for subsequent processing and printing. Increased processability from ion interactions and tuned viscosity enables unprecedented FDM printing below 80 °C.<br/>

Designing functional polymers for 3D printing: From material extrusion of ion-containing polymers to stereolithography of multifunctional acrylates

254th National Meeting (2017)

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