Synthesis and Mechanical Properties of a 3D Printable Photocurable Resin Composed of Rosin and Triethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate

In this study, we present an innovative approach aimed at developing cost-effective 3D printing photocurable materials with significantly enhanced mechanical properties, alongside a new method for utilizing rosin (RO) with high added value. This progress was achieved by incorporating RO into a photocurable resin primarily composed of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA). The resulting RO/TEGDMA resin enables high-quality molding with light-curing 3D printers. Mechanical testing demonstrated a substantial improvement in the toughness of the TEGDMA-based resin with the addition of RO. The optimized composition of the RO/TEGDMA 3D printing composite, with a mass ratio of RO:TEGDMA = 1:10, exhibited exceptionally favorable mechanical properties, including a remarkable tensile strength of 29.94 MPa, an elongation at break of 10.28%, and an impressive impact strength of 10.81 kJ/m2, surpassing those of pure TEGDMA formulations. Thus, the conversion of RO into the RO/TEGDMA 3D printing composite presents a novel approach for the value-added utilization of RO resources and holds significant promise in developing low-cost, mechanically enhanced 3D printable photocurable resins.