Additive manufacturing is getting popular in the manufacturing companies, because it is a cheap and fast way to produce new products in complex shapes [1]. Additive manufacturing provides such benefits as lower material loss, reduced product weight and possibility to print spare parts without using fixtures or molds [2,3].
In this study, cross-linked polymers were obtained by photopolymerization of vanillin diacrylate and vanillin dimethacrylate with 1 or 0.5 mol.% of 1.3-benzenedithiol, using phenylbis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide (BAPO) as photoinitiator. Photorheometry was used to monitor the evolution of photocross-linking process. The UV/Vis real-time photorheometry curing tests were performed on a MCR302 rheometer from Anton Paar equipped with the plate/plate measuring system. Dependencies of storage modulus G', loss modulus G'', loss factor tanδ, and complex viscosity η* of pure vanillin diacrylate-based resin with 3 mol.% of BAPO on irradiation time is presented in Figure 1. It was determined that the addition of solvent into the resin slowed down the photocuring process and less rigid polymers were obtained. The addition of thiol increased the photocuring rate but reduced the rigidity of the resulting polymers.
Vanillin-based polymers showed significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphulococcus aureus in direct contact and on medium. Toxicity to microscopic fungus Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus was less pronounced.