Photopolymerizing polymer

0201202-161

[DEFINITION]
A resin that is polymerized and solidified from the liquid state forming three-dimensional bridges by irradiation of light such as laser, ultraviolet rays, or excimer laser.

[DESCRIPTION]
A photopolymerizing polymer, or photosetting resin, consists of epoxy acrylate oligomer or urethane acryloleate oligomer, blended with reactive diluents (monomers) and photopolymerization initiators (GUM benzoin and acetophenone derivatives, and so on). In the curing process, in which the photo-setting resin is exposed to light to cure, a two-dimensional thin structure is formed by scanning laser , moving the bath stocked with the resin, or with a use of a mask. This process is repeated moving the product in process in the perpendicular direction to eventually build up a three-dimensional structure. This technique is called stereo lithography. Although stereo lithography was originally developed for fabrication of relatively larger stereo models, progress of the research and improvement of the equipment has made it as one of the prospective processes useful for making micro-structures.

[References]
(4)(6)

[Related Terms]