3D printing UV curable inks by extrusion-based technologies require tailoring of the rheological properties of the inks since the ink must flow through the extruder but maintain structural stability on the printing platform until UV light initiates its polymerization. In an aqueous ink, another challenge arises due to the lack of efficient water-soluble photoinitiators. We present inks for making 3D objects composed of hydrogels, by combining photopolymerization and rapid fixation by cellulose nanocrystals. The ink is composed of acrylic acid monomer with PEGDA cross-linker, while the polymerization process is induced using novel nanoparticles of a water-soluble photoinitiator, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO), prepared in our lab. The cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) are used as a rheological modifier to 3D print objects while enabling the printability of the ink and improving Young’s modulus while not affecting strain at break of the printed objects.

TPO nanoparticle as water-soluble photoinitiator and CNC as a rheological modifier for extrusion-based 3D printing technique

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ACS Fall 2022

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