Sustainable and efficient preparation of eugenol-based resin and its application in UV-thermally cured 3D printing

Abstract

To meet sustainable development demands, reducing non-renewable resource consumption while promoting material recycling has become imperative. For thermosetting resins, the commercialization of high-performance bio-based alternatives remains challenging due to biomass cost constraints and processing limitations. Herein, we demonstrate a facile method for large-scale preparation of a eugenol-derived thermoset monomer (EUEP) characterized by high yield, high purity, and low waste generation. Through acrylation modification, a fully bio-based resin system with dual UV-thermal curing capability was developed. The material's initial shape stabilization was rapidly achieved via UV-initiated radical polymerization, while subsequent thermally induced transesterification allowed precise modulation of covalent crosslinking network density. This sequential curing approach enabled controllable tuning of the resin's mechanical properties, achieving tensile strength ranging from 2 to 23 MPa with the corresponding elongation at break varying between 5% and 18%. Leveraging dynamic ester bond exchange at interfaces, the thermoset exhibited intrinsic crack-repairing and self-adhesion functionalities. This methodology establishes a novel strategy for developing fully bio-based reworkable resin systems, demonstrating significant potential for enhancing 3D printing process efficiency.