Advanced Bio-Based Photopolymers for Additive Manufacturing, Energy Harvesting, and Soft Actuation

The transition toward sustainable technologies requires advanced materials that combine high performance, multifunctionality, and reduced environmental impact. This presentation highlights recent developments in bio-based UV-curable polymer systems derived primarily from renewable vegetable oils and lignocellulosic resources, designed for additive manufacturing and advanced functional applications.

A series of sustainable photopolymer formulations based on acrylated vegetable oils, bio-derived monomers, and natural fillers were developed and processed using extrusion-based and vat photopolymerization 3D printing technologies. Hybrid lignocellulosic fillers, including lignin, cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibrils, and hemicellulose, enabled the fabrication of wood-mimicking structures with tunable surface morphology, enhanced thermomechanical properties, and improved thermal stability. The synergistic interaction between fillers provided customizable textures and structural performance while maintaining high bio-based content.

Beyond structural materials, bio-derived shape memory polymers with biosourced carbon contents up to 87% were developed for 4D printing applications. Through precise formulation design, glass transition temperatures and mechanical properties were linearly tuned, while the incorporation of small amounts of carbon nanotubes enabled remote actuation through electrical and light stimuli. The resulting structures demonstrated excellent shape-fixity and recovery performance, enabling programmable and multifunctional actuation.

The versatility of these material platforms was further demonstrated in sustainable triboelectric nanogenerators, protective coatings, and biocompatible ionic polymer actuators. Fully bio-based and degradable triboelectric materials exhibited substantially enhanced power generation through molecular and surface engineering approaches. UV-curable coatings provided excellent optical transparency, mechanical adaptability, adhesion, and wear resistance, while directly printed ionic polymer actuators achieved record bending performance for biocompatible systems, opening opportunities for soft robotics and human-interactive devices.

Collectively, these results demonstrate how renewable feedstocks, advanced polymer chemistry, and additive manufacturing can be integrated to create next-generation sustainable materials for applications ranging from structural components and protective coatings to energy harvesting systems, smart actuators, and soft robotic technologies. The presented research contributes to the development of regenerative and circular material solutions capable of addressing future technological and environmental challenges.