Sustainable Photopolymerization and 3D Printing Using Phenanthroline Based Fe(II) Complexes as Photocatalysts

• Grant number: 25/17235-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: March 16, 2026
• End date: September 15, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Beatriz Eleutério Goi Carvalho
• Grantee: Yasmin de Morais Shimizo
• Supervisor: Jacques Lalevee
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université de Haute-Alsace, France
• Associated to the scholarship: 25/13122-4 - Phenanthroline-Based Fe(II) Complexes as Photoinitiators for Sustainable Reactions and 3D Printing, BP.MS

Abstract

Fe(II) complexes will be synthesized and developed to catalyze both Free Radical Photopolymerization (FRP) and Cationic Photopolymerization (CP). The project emphasizes the use of renewable bio-based monomers, as sustainable alternatives to bisphenol A (BPA)-derived materials, while promoting reactions under environmentally friendly conditions, including mild temperatures and solvent-free systems. Initially, the attention will be directed to the phenanthroline based Fe(II) complexes synthesis. Fe(II) complexes will be characterized by FTIR, UV-Vis, cyclic voltammetry, EPR, 1H NMR techniques, elemental analysis and mass spectrometry. The second stage will be dedicated to the evaluation of the photochemical properties of the Iron complexes in photopolymerization experiments (by RT-FTIR). Consequently, the high reactivity of these compounds will be demonstrated through some direct laser write experiments, where high-spatial-resolution 3D patterns will be obtained. Therefore, this research paves the way for the development of photocatalysts in FRP and epoxidation as well as their applications in 3D printing. The mechanical properties of the polymers and 3D objects will be studied by DSC, DMA and tensile tests experiments furnishing a full characterization "from the molecules to the materials".