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Two‐Step Solvent‐Free Synthesis of Poly(hydroxybutyrate)‐Based Photocurable Resin with Potential Application in Stereolithography
Author(s) -
Foli Giacomo,
Degli Esposti Micaela,
Morselli Davide,
Fabbri Paola
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201900660
Subject(s) - stereolithography , transesterification , materials science , polyester , differential scanning calorimetry , propylene carbonate , diol , solvent , chemical engineering , copolymer , environmentally friendly , photopolymer , polymer chemistry , catalysis , organic chemistry , polymer , chemistry , composite material , polymerization , ecology , physics , electrode , electrochemistry , biology , engineering , thermodynamics
A bio‐based polymeric ink for stereolithography developed through a two‐step solvent‐free process is herein proposed. Specifically, low‐molecular‐weight poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)‐diol oligomers are prepared via molten transesterification of bacterial PHB with 1,4‐butanediol. Transesterification conditions such as diol concentration, catalyst amount, and reaction time are studied for optimizing the final oligomers’ molecular weight and structural features. In the second step, the oligomeric hydroxyl terminals are converted into methacrylate moieties through a solvent‐free end‐capping reaction and diluted in propylene carbonate in order to obtain a photo‐polymerizable ink with suitable viscosity. The ink is UV‐cured, and the obtained material properties are investigated by FT‐IR and differential scanning calorimetry measurements. The proposed method provides a valuable and environmentally friendly alternative to currently available synthetic routes, overcoming their typical disadvantages related to the used solvents and harsh conditions. Moreover, it opens up a sustainable route for converting polyesters into functionalized oligomeric derivatives, which can potentially find application in 3D printing of customized biomedical devices.