Detoxifying photocurable resin for microstereolithography

Abstract

3D printers were rapidly becoming popular. The applications of the 3D printer was expanding not only to research application and design mockups, but also to final products. Compared to 3D printers such as Fused Deposition Modeling and Powder Sintering type, which are sold in the low price range, the micro-stereolithography method using chemical reaction had better processing accuracy. In the micro-stereolithography, liquid resin was cured by photopolymerization reaction by irradiating the liquid resin with an ultraviolet laser. High temperature heat treatment was effective for detoxifying this cytotoxic photocurable resin. Conventionally, in the micro stereolithography, heat treatment had been performed to stabilize the mechanical properties of the cured resin, but in order to detoxify the cytotoxic substance inside the photocurable resin, the treatment at higher temperature than conventional treatment was required.