Dynamic covalent bonds are of increasing interest in the field of photocured additive manufacturing due to their enabling of reprocessability, thereby increasing both the complexity and sustainability of 3D-printed parts. This work presents the implementation of boronic esters as a mild, room-temperature alternative to previous systems; the 3D printing of dynamic polymer networks is afforded by the inclusion of a boronic ester monomer into a fast-curing, oxygen-tolerant thiol–ene resin. The dynamic character of the resultant parts is modulated by the introduction of a static diluent, allowing the mechanical properties to be varied from those of a traditional thermoset to a vitrimer. The objects printed with this approach exhibit dynamic exchange, allowing for both structural reconfiguration and post-printing functionalization.

3D printing of dynamic polymer networks with boronic esters

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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