3D Printing Fumarate Based Polymers

Abstract

ABSTRACTRecently, an inexpensive 3D lithography technique was developed by Professor Nicholas Fang at the University of Illinois where a projector is used in combination with a Microsoft® PowerPoint presentation to expose the liquid negative-tone photoresist 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate in a layer-by-layer fashion. Where Professor Fang initially used this method as a teaching tool, we have used the inexpensive 3D printing technique to create 3D structures of fumarate based polymers. This class of polymers are liquids at room temperature which makes them ideal for the projector based lithography technique when used in combination with the photoinitiator bisphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)-phosphine oxide (BAPO). Furthermore, the fumarate based materials are biocompatible and are suitable candidates for tissue engineering applications.