Synthesis and characterization of reinforced acrylate photosensitive resin by 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-functionalized graphene nanosheets for 3D printing

The acrylate photosensitive resin hybrids containing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-functionalized graphene oxide (HEMA-g-GO/PRFRPCP) were prepared. 2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate-grafted graphene oxide (HEMA-g-GO) was synthesized by in situ covalent functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The effects of HEMA-g-GO on the properties of the photosensitive resin were evaluated through evaluating the variation in viscosity and gel rate. Compared with GO, HEMA-g-GO addition doesn't more markedly increase the viscosity and also doesn't reduce the gel rate until the addition amount of HEMA-g-GO reaches 0.06 wt% in the resin. The best result of 3.6% volume shrinkage for the nanocomposite cured with UV irradiation from the resin hybrid HEMA-g-GO/PRFRPCP containing 0.06 wt% HEMA-g-GO was obtained. The nanocomposites show the enhancement in mechanical properties and thermal properties even with very small HEMA-g-GO additions (0.01-0.06 wt%). Furthermore, the behaviors of the nanocomposites under dynamic thermal conditions were examined with dynamic thermomechanical analysis, confirming that there is the excellent interfacial adhesion between HEMA-g-GO and the resin matrix which is responsible for the enhanced properties of the nanocomposites.