Diels–Alder Reversible Thermoset 3D Printing: Isotropic Thermoset Polymers via Fused Filament Fabrication

Journal Article · Wed Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Advanced Functional Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201700318· OSTI ID:1401785

Yang, Kejia  ^[1]; Grant, Jesse C. ^[2]; Lamey, Patrice ^[3]; Joshi‐Imre, Alexandra ^[4]; Lund, Benjamin R. ^[5]; Smaldone, Ronald A. ^[3]; Voit, Walter ^[6]

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1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA, Center for Engineering Innovation The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA
2. Department of Bioengineering The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA
3. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA
4. Center for Engineering Innovation The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA
5. Adaptive 3D Technologies 17217 Waterview Pkwy Dallas TX 75252 USA
6. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA, Center for Engineering Innovation The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA, Department of Bioengineering The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA, Adaptive 3D Technologies 17217 Waterview Pkwy Dallas TX 75252 USA, Department of Materials Science and Engineering The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W. Campbell Rd Richardson TX 75080 USA

This study presents a new 3D printing process, the Diels–Alder reversible thermoset (DART) process, and a first generation of printable DART resins, which exhibit thermoset properties at use temperatures, ultralow melt viscosity at print temperatures, smooth part surface finish, and as‐printed isotropic mechanical properties. This study utilizes dynamic covalent chemistry based on reversible furan‐maleimide Diels–Alder linkages in the polymers, which can be decrosslinked and melt‐processed during printing between 90 and 150 °C, and recrosslinked at lower temperatures to their entropically favored state. This study compares the first generation of DART materials to commonly 3D printed high‐toughness thermoplastics. Parts printed from typical fused filament fabrication compatible materials exhibit anisotropy of more than 50% and sometimes upward of 98% in toughness when deformed along the build direction, while the first generation of DART materials exhibit less than 4% toughness reduction when deformed along the build direction. At room temperature, the toughest DART materials exhibit baseline toughness of 18.59 ± 0.91 and 18.36 ± 0.57 MJ m ⁻³ perpendicular and parallel to the build direction, respectively. DART printing will enable chemists, polymer engineers, materials scientists, and industrial designers to translate new robust materials possessing targeted thermomechanical properties, multiaxial toughness, smooth surface finish, and low anisotropy.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 1401785
• Journal Information: Advanced Functional Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Functional Materials Vol. 27 Journal Issue: 24; ISSN 1616-301X
• Publisher: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
• Country of Publication: Germany
• Language: English