Photosensitive Polymers

Development of hybrid photopolymers for additive manufacturing using DLP technology.

The project addresses a key limitation of DLP technology regarding the limited performance of currently available photopolymer resins. DLP is widely recognized for its high resolution and rapid fabrication capability. However, it relies mainly on acrylic-based photopolymers. Although these materials exhibit fast radical polymerization under UV irradiation, they are affected by oxygen inhibition, curing shrinkage, limited thermal stability, and moderate mechanical strength. In contrast, epoxy-based systems provide superior chemical resistance and improved mechanical toughness, but their slower cationic curing reduce their uses. The principal approach of this project is the formulation of acrylic/epoxy hybrid resins that combine radical and cationic photopolymerization mechanisms