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This research was funded by MCIU (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades) (MAT2017-82849-C2-1-R and MAT2017-82849-C2-2-R), FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional) (MAT2017-82849-C2-1-R, MAT2017-82849-C2-2-R, and BASE3D), and Generalitat de Catalunya-Secretaria d'Universitats i Recerca (BASE3D, 2017-SGR-77, and Serra Hunter program).

Analysis of institutional authors

Fabregat-Sanjuan, AAuthorFernandez-Francos, XAuthor

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Article

Cost-Effectively 3D-Printed Rigid and Versatile Interpenetrating Polymer Networks

Publicated to:Materials. 14 (16): 4544- - 2021-08-02 14(16), DOI: 10.3390/ma14164544

Authors: Konuray, Osman; Sola, Arnau; Bonada, Jordi; Tercjak, Agnieszka; Fabregat-Sanjuan, Albert; Fernandez-Francos, Xavier; Ramis, Xavier

Affiliations

Univ Pais Vasco Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Grp Mat Technol, Dept Chem Engn & Environm, Pza Europa 1, Donostia San Sebastian 20018, Spain - Author
Univ Politecn Cataluna, Dept Strength Mat & Struct Engn, ETSEIB, Avda Diagonal 647, Barcelona 08028, Spain - Author
Univ Politecn Cataluna, Thermodynam Lab, ETSEIB, Avda Diagonal 647, Barcelona 08028, Spain - Author
Univ Rovira & Virgili, Dept Mech Engn, Av Palsos Catalans 26, Tarragona 43007, Spain - Author

Abstract

Versatile acrylate-epoxy hybrid formulations are becoming widespread in photo/thermal dual-processing scenarios, especially in 3D printing applications. Usually, parts are printed in a stereolithography or digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer, after which a thermal treatment would bestow the final material with superior mechanical properties. We report the successful formulation of such a hybrid system, consisting of a commercial 3D printing acrylate resin modified by an epoxy-anhydride mixture. In the final polymeric network, we observed segregation of an epoxy-rich phase as nano-domains, similar to what was observed in a previous work. However, in the current work, we show the effectiveness of a coupling agent added to the formulation to mitigate this segregation for when such phase separation is undesired. The hybrid materials showed significant improvement of Young's modulus over the neat acrylate. Once the flexible, partially-cured material was printed with a minimal number of layers, it could be molded into a complex form and thermally cured. Temporary shapes were readily programmable on this final material, with easy shape recovery under mild temperatures. Inspired by repairable 3D printed materials described recently, we manufactured a large object by printing its two halves, and then joined them covalently at the thermal cure stage with an apparently seamless union.

Keywords

AnhydrideCompositesCureDigital light processingDual-curingEpoxyHybrid photopolymerizationInterpenetrating polymer networkKineticsResinStereolithographyThermosets

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Materials due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2021, it was in position 18/79, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations from Scopus Elsevier, it yields a value for the Field-Weighted Citation Impact from the Scopus agency: 1.02, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 1.83 (source consulted: Dimensions Jun 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-06-16, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 9
  • Scopus: 14
  • Europe PMC: 3
  • Google Scholar: 6
  • OpenCitations: 6

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-06-16:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 27 (PlumX).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9226646