University of Illinois

Ian D Robertson

Jeffrey S Moore

Nancy R Sottos

Scott R White

Justin Gimbal

James C Bohling

Mostafa Yourdkhani

Jia E Aw

Mayank Garg

Jia En Aw

Wei Gao

The present disclosure provides a novel method of 3D printing using frontal polymerization chemistry. This method enables the printing of tough, high quality thermosets in a short time with the option of adding fiber reinforcement. As such, it facilitates fabrication of mechanically robust 3D-printed devices and structures.

3D printing of thermoset polymers and composites

A method of forming a void, channel and/or vascular network in a polymeric matrix comprises providing a pre-vascularized structure that includes a matrix material and a sacrificial material embedded in the matrix material in a predetermined pattern, where the matrix material comprises a monomer and the sacrificial material comprises a polymer. A region of the matrix material is activated to initiate an exothermic polymerization reaction and generate a self-propagating polymerization front. As the polymerization front propagates through the matrix material and polymerizes the monomer, heat from the exothermic reaction simultaneously degrades the sacrificial material into a gas-phase and/or liquid-phase byproduct. Thus, one or more voids or channels having the predetermined pattern are rapidly formed in the matrix material.

Method of forming a void, channel, and/or vascular network in a polymeric matrix

Polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD) is a polymer of growing importance in industrial applications. Frontal ring-opening metathesis polymerization (FROMP) offers a means to rapidly cure PDCPD with minimal input energy owing to a propagating reaction wave sustained by the exothermic polymerization. The disclosure provides methods for the rapid fabrication of fiber reinforced composites that is less restrictive and more energy efficient than conventional methods.

Frontal polymerization for fiber-reinforced composites

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Philadelphia, PA, United States of America

Ian D Robertson