Photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer are playing an increasingly important role in 3D printing. For factories using photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer in 3D printing, a deeper understanding of their properties and key points in their application is crucial to improving print quality and efficiency. In this article, we will discuss the application of photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer in 3D printing, analyse the mystery and provide practical solutions.
First, photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer introduction
(A) PEGDA monomer properties
Poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG – DA), especially the molecular weight of 250 PEG – DA, has a unique position in 3D printing materials. It has excellent biocompatibility and adjustable physicochemical properties that allow it to be adapted to a wide range of 3D printing needs. For example, in the biomedical field of tissue engineering scaffold printing, PEG-DA can provide a suitable environment for cell growth, and its adjustable degree of cross-linking can control the porosity and mechanical properties of the scaffold.
(ii) Role of photoinitiator 819
Photoinitiator 819 (Irgacure – 819) plays a key role in initiating the photopolymerisation reaction in the 3D printing process. When dissolved in PEG – DA at a concentration of 0.2% wt/vol, under a specific wavelength of light, the photoinitiator 819 can absorb photon energy and generate free radicals, thereby triggering the polymerisation reaction between PEG – DA monomers, so that the liquid resin is gradually cured. This process needs to be prepared in the dark to avoid spontaneous reactions with ambient light and to ensure that the photoinitiator accurately initiates the polymerisation reaction under the expected light conditions.
Second, the analysis of problems in the printing process
(A) surface quality and accuracy issues
In the actual 3D printing operation, we often encounter unsatisfactory surface quality and accuracy. For example, in one of my printing attempts, I printed a model without replacing the resin canister and build plate, and found that the surface roughness was large and the fine structure of the model was not accurately rendered. This may be due to the uneven distribution of the concentration of photoinitiator 819. During the resin mixing process, if the resin is not sufficiently stirred well, the concentration of photoinitiator in local areas is too high or too low, which will lead to inconsistent polymerisation reaction rate, thus affecting the surface quality and accuracy.
(ii) Channel printing failure
More serious is the problem of channel printing failure. For example, a channel with a diameter of 1 mm in the design was not successfully printed. This may be due to the lack of fluidity of the resin; the viscosity of the resin after mixing the PEG-DA monomer with the photoinitiator 819 may be affected by a number of factors, such as temperature, photoinitiator concentration, etc. If the viscosity of the resin is too high, the resin will not be able to print at all. If the viscosity of the resin is too high, it is difficult for the resin to fill in the fine channel structure smoothly during the printing process, resulting in missing channel prints.
III. Solutions and Optimisation Strategies
(i) Mixing process optimisation
In order to ensure the uniform distribution of photoinitiator 819 in the PEG-DA monomer, a more precise mixing process should be used. For example, a high-speed mixer should be used for mixing at a specific speed and time, and ultrasonication should be performed after mixing to further break up any agglomerated particles that may be present. It has been shown that the dispersion of photoinitiators is significantly improved in resins that have been ultrasonicated for 15 – 30 minutes, and the surface quality of printed models is significantly improved.
(ii) Adjustment of resin properties
To address the problem of insufficient resin fluidity, the resin formula can be adjusted. On the one hand, the concentration of photoinitiator 819 can be appropriately reduced to reduce the degree of crosslinking of the resin within a certain range, thereby reducing the viscosity. On the other hand, the UV resin can be replaced, the PEGDA monomer is cured with 385nm LED, can be replaced with 405nm laser curing UV monomer.
Case sharing and experience
In the actual production of a 3D printing factory, they also encountered similar problems. When using photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer to print parts with complex structures, the surface quality and accuracy could not meet the customer’s requirements, and the small internal channels were often blocked. The mixing process was optimised by combining multi-stage mixing and ultrasonication, while the resin formulation was adjusted to reduce the concentration of photoinitiator 819 and add a small amount of diluent. After a series of adjustments, the surface of the printed parts is smooth, the internal channels are complete and clear, and the product qualification rate has increased from 60% to 90%.
Through the analysis of photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer in the application of 3D printing, we have learned about their characteristics, possible problems encountered in the printing process and the corresponding solutions. For factories using photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer in 3D printing, these points can effectively improve print quality and productivity. In the future, as materials science and 3D printing technology continue to evolve, the performance of photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer may be further optimised, opening up even more possibilities for 3D printing.
If you have encountered problems during the 3D printing process of photoinitiator 819 and PEGDA monomer, please feel free to share your experience in the comments below, so that we can explore better solutions together.
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