Converting vegetable oils into bio-based resins for 3D printing

Julius Adeyera, a manufacturing engineer and researcher at Georgia Southern University, is converting vegetable oils into bio-based resins for 3D printing, in an attempt to address the challenges of sustainability. Adeyera has discovered a way to produce materials that are as effective as conventional petroleum-based materials, minus the environmental harm.

The innovative resins are made from vegetable oils like soybean, linseed oil, and tung oil which are compatible with the commercial 3D printers working at a wavelength of 405nm. This is a major development in the evolution of bio-based materials which can fulfill the mechanical and durability roles that are needed in industrial applications. “This isn’t just about creating greener materials, it’s about engineering a sustainable solution that is as good as or even better than traditional resins,” said Adeyera.

In the medical industry and the automobile industry, these bio-based resins can be used instead of petroleum-based resins where high thermal and mechanical properties are required. What makes these materials so special is the ability to form densely cross-linked polymer matrices – a feature that provides exceptional rigidity, reduced shrinkage, and heat resistance.

At the core of the research is the chemical conversion of vegetable oils into acrylates which can be then polymerized with UV light. After exposure to UV light, these molecules turn into certain shapes with the properties needed for certain uses.

Among Julius Adeyera’s key accomplishments is his co-authored work on the adaptation of tung oil for binder jet 3D printing. Through the chemical alteration of the curing and bonding capabilities of tung oil, he and a group of researchers came up with a material that can substitute synthetic binders. This project also shows how it is possible to apply vegetable oils in various AM techniques, and how they can substitute petroleum-based materials. The research is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

With the evidence of how oils from vegetables can be processed from renewable resources to produce engineering materials, it is easy to see a roadmap on how the manufacturing industry can be more sustainable while still maintaining quality. Industries – outside of 3D printing – that require durable and highly effective materials can also draw inspiration from the research when evaluating their supply chains.

“Many believed that biobased materials couldn’t meet the standards of modern manufacturing,” said Adeyera. “We’ve proven that’s no longer true and with several related projects pending publication, our contributions to material science are set to redefine the possibilities of biobased innovations.”