Synthesis, Characterization, and 3D Printing of Silver Nanoparticles/Photopolymer Resin Composites

Abstract

Recent advancements in the synthesis, functionalization, and processing of metal nanoparticles to enhance the properties of polymers have gained interest in the research community. Researchers have conducted several studies to exploit the extraordinary properties of metal nanoparticles, especially when mixed with polymers. This study investigates the adaptability of synthesized polymer resin nanocomposites, tailoring the physical and thermal properties of photopolymer resins with controlled dispersion of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing (3DP). SLA resin composed of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) was altered with varying concentrations of AgNPs (0.2%, 0.5%, 2%) through ultrasonication and mechanical mixing. The synthesized photopolymer resin nanocomposites were optimized for 3DP process parameters (i.e., layer resolution, laser power, and exposure time) to 3D print the samples successfully for customized photopolymer resins. The 3D printed samples were then analyzed for thermal stability using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), while the viscosity variation was observed through a dynamic viscosimeter. It was concluded that optimization of 3DP process parameters is vital to achieving successful 3DP of metal nanoparticles reinforced photopolymer resins, which highly depends upon the physical properties of the resins. In addition, the introduction of AgNPs to photopolymer resins has considerably increased the thermal performance and heat flow characteristics.