Epoxy and acrylate stereolithography resins: In-situ measurements of cure shrinkage and stress relaxation

摘要

Cross-sections of resin strands. Techniques were developed to make in situ measurements of gelled resin to determine linear shrinkage, stress-strain response and stress relaxation of single strands of SL 5170 epoxy and SL 5149 photocurable resins. Epoxy strands shrank approximately 1.4% and the acrylate strands about 1.0% after a single exposure. No forces were measured during cure shrinkage of strands following the first laser exposure. In multiple laser exposures, the acrylate continues to shrink; whereas (University of Dayton data) no additional shrinkage is observed in epoxy strands on a second hit. In force relaxation tests, a strand is drawn and then a 0.5% step strain is applied after different elapsed times. The epoxy initial modulus evolves (increases) with elapsed time following draw of the strand, and this evolution in modulus occurs after linear shrinkage has stopped. On the other hand, acrylates show no evolution of modulus with elapsed time following a single laser draw; i.e., once shrinkage stops after one laser hit, the initial modulus remains stable with elapsed time. Finally, relaxation response times of epoxy strands get larger with increasing elapsed time after laser draw. In acrylate strands there was no evolution in initial modulus with elapsed time after a single draw so relaxation times are not a function of elapsed time after a single hit with the laser.