Researchers develop reprocessable thermosets for sustainable 3-D printing
https://phys.org/news/2018-05-reprocessable-thermosets-sustainable-d.html
To address this environmental challenge, researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed 3-D printing 'reprocessable' thermosets (3DPRTs) that make 3-D printed structures reshapeable, repairable and recyclable.
"We have developed, for the first time, reprocessable thermosetting photopolymers designed for DLP-based high-resolution 3-D printing," said Assistant Professor Qi (Kevin) Ge from SUTD's Science and Math Cluster, one of the co-leaders of this project. He added, "Firstly, high-resolution structures can be reformed and fixed into arbitrary shapes subsequent to printing. This attribute improves printing efficiency as, for instance, 3-D origami parts can be generated from flat, 2-D layers. Secondly, the structure is repairable, meaning that damaged sites can be reprinted while perfectly maintaining structural integrity, prolonging product durability. Third and most importantly, our material can be recycled and reused for other applications."