Rigid photopolymer (resin) for industrial 3D printing

Photopolymers are material compositions based on polymers/oligomers/monomers which can be selectively polymerized and/or crosslinked upon image-wise exposure by light radiation such as ultra-violet light. For final use, they are made into different forms like, for instance, Evonik's liquids or resins in other words. 

The family of INFINAM® RG photopolymers includes three grades of specialized resins exhibiting great mechanical performance while long-lasting thermal stability in photocuring 3D printing.

• High impact resistance
• High temperature resistance
• High mechanical resistance
• Very good processability

INFINAM® RG 2000 L is a photo-resin for the demanding eyewear industry. The clear liquid formulation cures quickly and is easy to process. A low yellowing index - even after prolonged UV irradiation – not only make the high-performance material attractive for additively manufactured eyewear frames, it is also suitable for applications such as microfluidic reactors or transparent high-end prototypes for observing the inner workings of complex assemblies. The excellent light transmission of INFINAM® RG 2000 L also opens up further applications such as lenses, light guides and illumination covers.

The ready-to-use material combines excellent impact resistance with high temperature resistance while exhibiting long-lasting thermomechanical performance. 3D components printed from INFINAM® RG 3101 L, such as drones, buckles, or automotive parts, can be processed by machine and remain fracture-resistant even when subjected to strong forces.

INFINAM® RG 7100 L was specially developed for DLP printers and enables the production of parts with isotropic properties and low moisture absorption. The mechanical properties are comparable to those of an ABS material and the black colored formulation can also be used on high throughput printer systems. The printed parts exhibit fine features such as smooth and glossy surfaces making the new photopolymer ideal for demanding design visualizations. INFINAM® RG 7100 L can also be used in applications such as drones, buckles or automotive parts that require high ductility combined with high impact strength. The printed parts can be machined and remain fracture resistant even when subjected to high forces.

Evonik’s INFINAM® RG photopolymer 3D printing materials for vat polymerization technologies such as SLA or DLP have been designed at the group’s Asia Research Hub in Singapore. With the research hub, Evonik is expanding its collaboration with public and private research institutions and organizations. For instance, Evonik has formed a partnership with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore to develop novel technologies in 3D printing for industrial application. Therefore, Singapore is Evonik’s Research & Development Center for application driven development of new ready-to-use photopolymer 3D printing materials that can be processed on a wide range of common SLA and DLP machines commercially available on the market.

Evonik introduced the first grade of its rigid photopolymers with INFINAM® RG 3101 L to fill this gap in the material landscape. This fast curing and easy to process photopolymer 3D printing material shows superior aging behavior. In excellerated aging test, printed parts sustain more than 80 % of their original performance, even after being exposed to humidity and heat for 800 hours or more. These numbers correspond to a long-term stability of printed parts of several years under ambient conditions.

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