Catalyzed frontal polymerization-aided 3D printing of epoxy thermosets
Frontal polymerization is a self-propagating exothermic reaction and provides a rapid and energy-efficient way to manufacture thermosets. A critical issue for frontal polymerization is to concurrently maintain a low frontal temperature and a self-sustained frontal propagation, which significantly de...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Additive Manufacturing Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772369022000056 |
| _version_ | 1818140188025552896 |
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| author | Zimeng Zhang Chongjie Gao Ruochen Liu Wei Li Jingjing Qiu Shiren Wang |
| author_facet | Zimeng Zhang Chongjie Gao Ruochen Liu Wei Li Jingjing Qiu Shiren Wang |
| author_sort | Zimeng Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Frontal polymerization is a self-propagating exothermic reaction and provides a rapid and energy-efficient way to manufacture thermosets. A critical issue for frontal polymerization is to concurrently maintain a low frontal temperature and a self-sustained frontal propagation, which significantly depends on the frontal velocity. In this work, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene oxide(GO) and discontinuous carbon fibers (d-CFs) were incorporated into epoxy thermosets to tune the frontal polymerization. Their catalytic effects on frontal temperature and frontal velocity were studied. Both CNTs and GO were found to significantly reduce the activation energy of frontal polymerization, whereas d-CFs did not show any obvious effect on the activation energy. The real-time non-destructive characterization showed that 1wt % CNTs incorporation reduced the frontal temperature from 240 to 227°C while the front velocity remained the same (6.5 cm min−1), indicating effective decoupling frontal temperature from frontal velocity. The frontal temperature could be further reduced to 220°C or lower at an increasing loading of CNTs while the frontal velocity remained the same. In contrast, 1wt% GO incorporation reduced the frontal temperature from 240 to 220°C, but also decreased the frontal velocity from 6.5 to 5.1 cm min−1 (21.5% reduction). In addition, as-prepared CNTs-incorporated epoxy resins were used in the 3D printing process via frontal polymerization and their printability were demonstrated. This discovery opens a new pathway for additive manufacturing through catalyzed in-situ frontal polymerization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:40:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2954bf82618e47dda4d91bf51aa1a619 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-3690 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:40:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Additive Manufacturing Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-2954bf82618e47dda4d91bf51aa1a6192022-12-22T01:10:36ZengElsevierAdditive Manufacturing Letters2772-36902022-04-012100030Catalyzed frontal polymerization-aided 3D printing of epoxy thermosetsZimeng Zhang0Chongjie Gao1Ruochen Liu2Wei Li3Jingjing Qiu4Shiren Wang5Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 77409, USA; Co-Corresponding AuthorDepartment of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Corresponding AuthorFrontal polymerization is a self-propagating exothermic reaction and provides a rapid and energy-efficient way to manufacture thermosets. A critical issue for frontal polymerization is to concurrently maintain a low frontal temperature and a self-sustained frontal propagation, which significantly depends on the frontal velocity. In this work, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene oxide(GO) and discontinuous carbon fibers (d-CFs) were incorporated into epoxy thermosets to tune the frontal polymerization. Their catalytic effects on frontal temperature and frontal velocity were studied. Both CNTs and GO were found to significantly reduce the activation energy of frontal polymerization, whereas d-CFs did not show any obvious effect on the activation energy. The real-time non-destructive characterization showed that 1wt % CNTs incorporation reduced the frontal temperature from 240 to 227°C while the front velocity remained the same (6.5 cm min−1), indicating effective decoupling frontal temperature from frontal velocity. The frontal temperature could be further reduced to 220°C or lower at an increasing loading of CNTs while the frontal velocity remained the same. In contrast, 1wt% GO incorporation reduced the frontal temperature from 240 to 220°C, but also decreased the frontal velocity from 6.5 to 5.1 cm min−1 (21.5% reduction). In addition, as-prepared CNTs-incorporated epoxy resins were used in the 3D printing process via frontal polymerization and their printability were demonstrated. This discovery opens a new pathway for additive manufacturing through catalyzed in-situ frontal polymerization.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772369022000056Frontal polymerizationIn-situ curingEpoxy thermosets3D printingAdditive manufacturing |
| spellingShingle | Zimeng Zhang Chongjie Gao Ruochen Liu Wei Li Jingjing Qiu Shiren Wang Catalyzed frontal polymerization-aided 3D printing of epoxy thermosets Additive Manufacturing Letters Frontal polymerization In-situ curing Epoxy thermosets 3D printing Additive manufacturing |
| title | Catalyzed frontal polymerization-aided 3D printing of epoxy thermosets |
| title_full | Catalyzed frontal polymerization-aided 3D printing of epoxy thermosets |
| title_fullStr | Catalyzed frontal polymerization-aided 3D printing of epoxy thermosets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Catalyzed frontal polymerization-aided 3D printing of epoxy thermosets |
| title_short | Catalyzed frontal polymerization-aided 3D printing of epoxy thermosets |
| title_sort | catalyzed frontal polymerization aided 3d printing of epoxy thermosets |
| topic | Frontal polymerization In-situ curing Epoxy thermosets 3D printing Additive manufacturing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772369022000056 |
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