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Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the ageing behaviour of acrylate-based resins for stereolithography (SL) technology using different test methods and to investigate these effects on polymers. Design/methodology/approach - Controlling the polymer degradation requires an understanding of many different phenomena, including the different chemical mechanisms underlying structural changes in polymer macromolecules, the influences of polymer morphology, the complexities of oxidation chemistry and the complex reaction pathways of polymer additives. Several ageing characterization experiments are given. Findings - The paper covers the ageing process analysis of acrylate-based polymers. An overview of the ageing behaviour is given, along with the bandwidth of material characteristics for a prolonged lifetime of this material class. Research limitations/implications - For research and development in the field of rapid prototyping (RP) materials data about ageing behaviour and environmental effects are crucial. The authors show possible methods for measuring these effects and discuss the consequences in material research using a recently developed biocompatible SL resin as an example. Practical implications - The study of the ageing behaviour of polymers is important for understanding their usability, storage, lifetime and recycling. The presented polymeric formulations are able to meet the growing demand for both soft and stiff manufacturing resin materials in the engineering and medical fields. Originality/value - The analysis of the ageing behaviour of polymer materials is an important issue for engineering applications, recycling of post-consumer plastic waste, as well as the use of polymers as biological implants and matrices for drug delivery and the lifetime of an article. The paper gives an overview of details involving ageing behaviour and their meaning for applications of acrylate-based SL resins and is therefore of high importance to people with interest in long-term behaviour and ageing of RP materials