INS3-1178
Acid-accelerated rapid photopolymerization for ambient visible light 3D printing
Topic
S3. Processing / Fabrications (Emerging Horizons in Polymer Processing and Fabrication)
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
14:50 - 15:15
Room 104
Session Chairs
Jeong Jae WIE
Presenter(s)
Dowon Ahn (Pusan National University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Photocuring, the light-driven conversion of liquid resins into solid materials, is a core process in 3D printing and has long been dominated by UV irradiation because of its rapid curing kinetics and high printing fidelity. Nevertheless, the use of high-energy UV light can limit material compatibility through degradation, strong optical attenuation, and relatively energy-demanding operating conditions, thereby motivating increasing interest in visible-light-based photocuring systems. Visible light provides advantages in penetration depth, functional-group tolerance, and operational safety, but its broader implementation is hindered by intrinsically slower polymerization kinetics.
A central challenge arises from the fact that visible-light curing typically relies on multicomponent photoredox systems rather than direct photolysis. As a result, radical generation depends on low-energy excited states and intermolecular collision-driven electron-transfer events, which make initiation slower and more vulnerable to oxygen inhibition than conventional UV systems. In this talk, I will present a Brønsted–Lowry-acid-assisted approach that addresses these bottlenecks by modulating the photoredox cycle and promoting efficient curing under ambient conditions. This strategy enables fast and oxygen-tolerant visible-light polymerization and supports high-resolution DLP printing even at low catalyst loadings.
A central challenge arises from the fact that visible-light curing typically relies on multicomponent photoredox systems rather than direct photolysis. As a result, radical generation depends on low-energy excited states and intermolecular collision-driven electron-transfer events, which make initiation slower and more vulnerable to oxygen inhibition than conventional UV systems. In this talk, I will present a Brønsted–Lowry-acid-assisted approach that addresses these bottlenecks by modulating the photoredox cycle and promoting efficient curing under ambient conditions. This strategy enables fast and oxygen-tolerant visible-light polymerization and supports high-resolution DLP printing even at low catalyst loadings.
