Development of PBAT-Modified Photopolymer Resin Micro-Composites for More Sustainable SLA Additive Manufacturing

The photopolymer resins commonly utilized in stereolithography (SLA) additive manufacturing are non-renewable, brittle in nature and have low impact and thermal insulation properties, limiting their applications in sustainable and functional applications. To overcome these shortcomings, this paper introduces the initial research on the use of Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT), a biodegradable polymer, into SLA resins to create partially sustainable micro-composites with enhanced mechanical and thermal capabilities. PBAT micropowder was mixed with standard resin at 1, 5 and 10 wt% and 3D printed using SLA. To determine performance and interfacial morphology, mechanical testing (tensile and impact), thermal conductivity measurements and SEM fracture surface analysis were carried out. Introduction of PBAT significantly increased toughness, flexibility and the impact strength of the 1% PBAT composite stood at 168.63 J/m² with 68.69 J/m² of pure resin whereas the 10% PBAT sample was found to be 16% more efficient in thermal insulation. These findings indicate that partially replacing the photopolymer resin with biodegradable PBAT can enhance impact strength and thermal insulation while reducing the overall amount of petrochemical resin required. The article provides a new avenue of eco-friendly, high-performance photopolymer composites to facilitate sustainable additive manufacturing.