Additive manufacturing (AM) using photopolymers (stereolithography, digital light processing, etc) offer numerous advantages over conventional manufacturing, however the material systems are often limited with regards to physical properties as well as more complex temporal behaviors (4D properties). While the library of degradable polymers for AM processes continues to increase, there is a continuous need to consider how to design 4D materials without compromising other physical properties. Efforts to add 4D behaviors into photopolymers discussed here include enhancement of shape memory behavior as well as a curious tunable and reversible adhesion behavior in the resultant photoset materials, demonstrating how an existing biomaterial system may be augmented to enhance these advanced properties without impacting the designed biocompatibility. Importantly, the role of reactive diluents as well as molecular species is presented, providing insight into the driving force behind reversible adhesion as well as the opportunity to further design biomaterial systems that make use of this phenomenon.

4D photopolymers towards additive manufacturing of semi-crystalline adhesive biomaterials

ACS Spring 2022

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