3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization

Optical manufacturing is often a process dictated by high-cost machinery and long working times. In this thesis we examine the benefits and drawbacks of the different optical manufacturing technologies, and introduce 3D printing as an alternative approach. Towards this end we present a methodology t...

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Main Author: Krupp, Sean Ryan
Other Authors: Peter Török
Format: Thesis-Doctor of Philosophy
Language:English
Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/154940
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author Krupp, Sean Ryan
author2 Peter Török
author_facet Peter Török
Krupp, Sean Ryan
author_sort Krupp, Sean Ryan
collection NTU
description Optical manufacturing is often a process dictated by high-cost machinery and long working times. In this thesis we examine the benefits and drawbacks of the different optical manufacturing technologies, and introduce 3D printing as an alternative approach. Towards this end we present a methodology towards creating freeform optical components via grayscale digital light projection (DLP) frontal polymerization. We present an instrument which can be created cheaply, offer experimental validation of its functionality, and detail the driving algorithms involved. Furthermore, as the nature of our system lends itself well to analyze the curing characteristics of various photoactive compounds, we extensively characterize several free-radical photopolymers in a deoxygenated environment in terms of their curing characteristics as a function of irradiance, cure time, and photoinitiator concentration. We find that the photoresins do not follow the Bunsen-Roscoe reciprocity law for photochemistry, and offer quasiempirical explanations in terms of evolution of the reaction rate constants at constant degree of cure. Finally, we use the designed system to produce optical components and analyze them in terms of their surface quality and form replication, elucidating towards the limiting bounds of this technique.
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spelling ntu-10356/1549402023-02-28T23:51:17Z 3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization Krupp, Sean Ryan Peter Török School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences peter.torok@ntu.edu.sg Science::Physics::Optics and light Science::Chemistry::Organic chemistry::Polymers Optical manufacturing is often a process dictated by high-cost machinery and long working times. In this thesis we examine the benefits and drawbacks of the different optical manufacturing technologies, and introduce 3D printing as an alternative approach. Towards this end we present a methodology towards creating freeform optical components via grayscale digital light projection (DLP) frontal polymerization. We present an instrument which can be created cheaply, offer experimental validation of its functionality, and detail the driving algorithms involved. Furthermore, as the nature of our system lends itself well to analyze the curing characteristics of various photoactive compounds, we extensively characterize several free-radical photopolymers in a deoxygenated environment in terms of their curing characteristics as a function of irradiance, cure time, and photoinitiator concentration. We find that the photoresins do not follow the Bunsen-Roscoe reciprocity law for photochemistry, and offer quasiempirical explanations in terms of evolution of the reaction rate constants at constant degree of cure. Finally, we use the designed system to produce optical components and analyze them in terms of their surface quality and form replication, elucidating towards the limiting bounds of this technique. Doctor of Philosophy 2022-01-19T04:51:37Z 2022-01-19T04:51:37Z 2021 Thesis-Doctor of Philosophy Krupp, S. R. (2021). 3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization. Doctoral thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/154940 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/154940 10.32657/10356/154940 en This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). application/pdf Nanyang Technological University
spellingShingle Science::Physics::Optics and light
Science::Chemistry::Organic chemistry::Polymers
Krupp, Sean Ryan
3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization
title 3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization
title_full 3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization
title_fullStr 3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization
title_full_unstemmed 3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization
title_short 3D printing of optical components via free-radical frontal polymerization
title_sort 3d printing of optical components via free radical frontal polymerization
topic Science::Physics::Optics and light
Science::Chemistry::Organic chemistry::Polymers
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/154940
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