A Thioctic Acid-based Photocurable Composite Resin with Adjustable Mechanical Properties for High-resolution 3D Printing

CHEN Qinqin; LIU Ruitong; TIAN Junfei; HE Minghui; CHEN Guangxue

doi:10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.07.001

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Packaging Engineering ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (7) : 1-8. DOI: 10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.07.001

A Thioctic Acid-based Photocurable Composite Resin with Adjustable Mechanical Properties for High-resolution 3D Printing

CHEN Qinqin, LIU Ruitong, TIAN Junfei, HE Minghui, CHEN Guangxue^*

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Abstract

To address the demand for customizable, high-performance bio-based materials in green packaging, the work aims to develop a bio-based photocurable resin combining high dynamic stiffness with steady-state flexibility for high-resolution DLP 3D printing of precision packaging structures. Eugenol lipoate (EugLp) was synthesized via esterification of DL-thioctic acid and eugenol, and then blended with LA monomer to construct the photocurable system. The effects of LA content on material properties were investigated through rheological, mechanical, and dynamic mechanical analyses, along with an assessment of 3D printability. The EugLp/LAx resin exhibited high bio-based content and low viscosity, forming an interpenetrating topological network through the synergistic reaction of carbon-carbon double bonds and dynamic disulfide bonds during photocuring. By adjusting the EugLp/LAx ratio, the crosslinking density and dynamic bond distribution were precisely controlled to optimize material performance. The resin with 30 wt% LA content achieved optimal properties, with a tensile strength of 2.3 MPa, elongation at break of 61.6%, and a printing feature size as fine as 22 μm. Overall, this resin enhances the mechanical performance of sustainable materials while enabling high-precision 3D printing, providing a promising material solution for green precision packaging and customized structural components.

Key words

bio-based resin / DL-alpha-lipoic acid / eugenol / UV light curing / 3D printing

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CHEN Qinqin, LIU Ruitong, TIAN Junfei, HE Minghui, CHEN Guangxue. A Thioctic Acid-based Photocurable Composite Resin with Adjustable Mechanical Properties for High-resolution 3D Printing[J]. Packaging Engineering. 2026, 47(7): 1-8 https://doi.org/10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.07.001

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