Development of Smart Photocrosslinkable Epoxy-Based Inks for 4D Printing.

Abstract

4D printing technology enables the fabrication of constructs capable of shape transformation when exposed to external stimuli. Epoxy-based shape memory polymers (SMPs) have shown great potential for various 4D printing applications. However, due to their thermocurable nature, the fabrication of 4D constructs using epoxy-based materials is often limited to a mold casting strategy, limiting design flexibility and often yielding flat structures. In this work, photocurable smart 4D inks are developed by integrating polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PD) into epoxy-based materials. These inks undergo a two-step crosslinking process: i) photocuring of the PD network, and ii) thermocuring of the SMP, resulting in an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN). The inclusion of PD in the 4D inks not only enables the formation of complex shapes via the restructuring step but also allows for fine-tuning of mechanical properties and thermal responsiveness. Additionally, these inks offered greater versatility in employable fabrication techniques, including mold casting, photolithography, and stereolithography (SLA).