DEVELOPMENT OF GREENER IMINE-BASED RESINS FOR 3D PRINTING OF RENEWABLE COVALENT ADAPTABLE NETWORKS

• Grant number: 25/19302-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: June 01, 2026
• End date: May 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Gilbert Bannach
• Grantee: Gabriel Iago dos Santos
• Supervisor: Marco Sangermano
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Politecnico di Torino, Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/14279-1 - Production of non-isocyanate polyurethanes acrylate from different renewable feedstocks and CO2 for additive manufacturing, BP.DD

Abstract

The development of new and greener strategies for polymer production is a current demand in the pursuit of sustainability. In this context, vanillin stands out as a promising greener precursor for the development of renewable monomers since it can be obtained from lignin, a natural raw material and an industrial byproduct. Moreover, the chemical structure of vanillin enables the production of reactive monomers containing imine bonds, which can result in smart materials. Thus, the present project aims to synthesize diimine dimethacrylate and diimine diepoxy Schiff bases monomers with three structurally distinct diamine backbones. Furthermore, these renewable monomers will be used in the formulation of resins for radical photopolymerization and dual-cure polymerization, which will involve photo- and thermal-curing through the methacrylate and epoxy groups, respectively. Suitable resins will be applied in vat photopolymerization 3D printing. This will enable the production of 3D printed covalent adaptable networks (CANs) and interpenetrating polymer networks with reprocessing, self-healing, and shape memory properties. All materials obtained will be characterized in terms of thermal, mechanical, and recovery properties. This project will be conducted in a research group abroad with high expertise in photopolymerization, 3D printing, and renewable CANs production; therefore, it has high potential for important advancements in greener additive manufacturing and bio-based polymers production. In addition, this approach is strongly aligned with the Circular Economy, Green Chemistry principles, and the Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the UN (United Nations). (AU)