Photocurable Polyimide Ink for 3D Printing with Low Shrinkage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current photocurable 3D printing resins face limitations such as poor mechanical strength, high brittleness, low temperature resistance, and hydroscopic swelling, restricting their application beyond models and art products due to issues like high shrinkage and processing difficulties with polyimide oligomers.
Innovation Solution
A photocurable 3D printing polyimide ink is developed, comprising photocurable polyamide acid, organic solvent, reactive diluent, chain extender, and photoinitiator, which allows for high accuracy, dimensional stability, and mechanical strength through controlled crosslinking and low shrinkage, enabling broader industrial applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If free-radical-type photosensitive resin is used, then photosensitivity is improved, but shrinkage at polymerization increases and precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the photosensitive resin by using polyimide oligomers with specific molecular weights (5,000-50,000) and controlled imidization degrees (10-50%), along with specific photoinitiator types and concentrations (0.1-5%), to achieve low shrinkage during curing while maintaining high photosensitivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite photosensitive resin system combining polyimide oligomers with reactive diluents (acrylates, vinyl ethers, epoxies) and photoinitiators, where the composite formulation achieves both high photosensitivity and low polymerization shrinkage, resolving the contradiction between these two properties
2Strength
If polyimide oligomer is used, then mechanical strength and temperature resistance are improved, but solubility deteriorates and viscosity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the molecular weight parameter of polyimide oligomers (5,000-50,000) and the degree of imidization (10-50%) to optimize the balance between mechanical strength and solubility, ensuring the oligomers remain soluble in reactive diluents while maintaining high strength properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses reactive diluents as intermediary substances that dissolve polyimide oligomers, enabling the oligomers to be processed in liquid form while maintaining their high mechanical strength properties in the cured state
3Strength
If polyimide oligomer is used, then mechanical strength and temperature resistance are improved, but processing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight (5,000-50,000) and imidization degree (10-50%) parameters of polyimide oligomers to achieve a balance where the material has sufficient mechanical strength but remains processable with appropriate viscosity for 3D printing applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs reactive diluents as intermediary substances that reduce the viscosity and improve processability of polyimide oligomers during printing, while the crosslinking mechanism ensures the final cured part maintains high mechanical strength
4Productivity
If conventional photosensitive resin is used, then printing speed is improved, but mechanical strength and high temperature resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite formulation of polyimide oligomers with reactive diluents and photoinitiators that enables both fast photocuring (maintaining printing speed) and high mechanical strength with temperature resistance up to 300°C or higher in the cured state
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ink achieves tensile strength of 105-135 MPa, breaking elongation of 15-20%, and thermal stability up to 254-300°C, with low shrinkage of 1.3-2%, suitable for commercial production and use in various 3D printing technologies like SLA and DLP.
Implementation Method 1
a photocurable 3D printing polyimide ink, and a preparation method and application thereof... photocurable polyamide acid... photoinitiator... allows for high accuracy, dimensional stability, and mechanical strength through controlled crosslinking
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and provides a photocurable 3D printing polyimide ink, and a preparation method and application thereof. The photocurable 3D printing polyimide ink includes the following components in the following weight percentages: 40 to 60% of a photocurable polyamic acid, 5 to 40% of an organic solvent, 10 to 50% of a reactive diluent, 1 to 10% of a chain extender, and 1 to 3% of a photoinitiator. The photocurable 3D printing polyimide ink provided by the present invention has excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, relatively high printing accuracy and relatively low shrinkage; a molded device obtained by 3D printing has excellent properties including high accuracy, great dimensional stability, high strength and corrosion resistance, excellent flexibility, high temperature resistance and relatively low shrinkage. The method for preparing the photocurable 3D printing polyimide ink has a simple process and lower energy consumption.