Keroles Riad, a PhD student from Concorda University in Montreal, Canada, found a way to stop the degradation process of SLA printed parts exposed to sunlight.
Normally the degradation is stopped by painting the objects with UV-resistant colours. This post processing may be soon be obsolete. Keroles Riad used quantum dots to mix a liquid material that can be cured with light but withstands the wavelengths of sunlight. These quantum dots are nanoscale structures that can change the structure of molecules when exposed to different wavelengths.
Riad concludes:
For the first time, we demonstrate that semiconducting nanoparticles can initiate epoxy photocuring. The reaction is observed by FTIR and titration and the proposed mechanism is supported by FTIR (C=O bands). The incorporation of an electron scavenger and an alcohol with 37% Cure more substituted carbons increase the rate of reaction further supporting the proposed mechanism. A mixed crystal TiO2 (anatase and rutile), P25, has superior catalytic performance compared to anatase titania of the same particle size and surface area.
Here you can find the paper with the title “Photocuring Epoxy With Quantum Dots For 3D Printing” from Karoles Riad.
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