University of Michigan

United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Timothy F Scott

Mark A Burns

Martin Patrick De Beer

Avi Bregman

Harry Van Der Laan

Megan A Cole

Zachary D Pritchard

Keith L Gordon

Brian Clarkson

Scott R Zavada

Provided herein is technology relating to polymerization and producing polymers and particularly, but not exclusively, to methods, systems, and compositions for producing articles using three-dimensional printing and for improving control of polymerization using a polymerization photoinhibitor having fast back reaction kinetics such as hexaarylbiimidazole compounds and bridged hexaarylbiimidazole compounds.

Polymerization photoinhibitor

Various embodiments provide multi-layered self-healing materials, capable of repairing puncture damage. The multi-layered self-healing materials, capable of repairing puncture damage of the various embodiments may be constructed by sandwiching a reactive (e.g., oxygen sensitive) liquid monomer formulation between two solid polymer panels, such as a polymer panel of Barex 210 IN (PBG) serving as the front layer panel and a polymer panel of Surlyn&#xae; 8940 serving as the back layer panel. The various embodiments may provide methods to produce multi-layered healing polymer systems. The various embodiments may provide a two-tier, self-healing material system that provides a non-intrusive capability to mitigate mid to high velocity impact damage in structures.

Multi-layered self-healing material system towards impact mitigation

Provided herein are composite materials comprising a thiol-ene polymer resin in a continuous phase and a filler in a discontinuous phase, the filler comprising fluorapatite crystals and silica. Further provided are methods of using these composite materials as restoratives in dental applications. This dental composite is labeled as 'smart' because, when the shrinkage stress of the composite is greater than a programmable or pre-selected threshold level, it will elicit visual clues for the dentist.

Bioactive 'smart' dental composite materials

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Timothy F Scott