Applied Chemical Engineering

Photopolymer resin formulation and surface modification for enhanced coating applications in SLA-Printed devices

Sanan Thaer Abdalwahab

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Al-Turath University, Baghdad,10013, Iraq

Ala’a D. Noor

Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Al Farahidi University, Baghdad, 10111,Iraq

Haider Falih Shamikh Al-Saedi

Department of pharmaceutics , Faculty of pharmacy,University of Al-Ameed, Karbala Governorate, 56001,Iraq

Mohannad Mohammed

Department of Mathematics, Warka University College, Basrah,110073,Iraq

Nour Sabah Kadhim

Department of sciences, Al-Manara College For Medical Sciences,University of Manara, Maysan, 62010,Iraq

Nawal Fattah Naji

Department of Medical Physics, Al-Hadi University College, Baghdad, 10011, Iraq

Imad Ibrahim Dawood

Faculty of Education for Humanities, Mazaya University College,Dhi Qar, 21974,Iraq

Hiba Alaa Mohammed

Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, College of Health and Medical Techniques. Al-Bayan University,  Baghdad,6111, Iraq

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/ace.v8i4.5726

Keywords: Photopolymer Resin; Stereolithography (SLA); additive manufacturing; surface modification; coating applications; uv-curable resins; functional additives; nano-silica reinforcement; 3D printing materials

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Abstract

Stereolithography (SLA) has emerged as a superior additive manufacturing technique compared to Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), offering smoother surface finishes and higher dimensional accuracy. However, conventional SLA resins remain limited by brittleness, poor thermal stability, and weak coating adhesion. In this study, a hybrid photopolymer resin incorporating nano-silica fillers (0.5–2.0 wt%) and functional oligomers was formulated, alongside plasma–silanization surface treatments, to enhance coating performance of SLA-printed parts. Mechanical testing showed a peak improvement at 1.0 wt% nano-silica, where tensile strength increased by 35.9% (from 32.5 MPa to 44.2 MPa), Young’s modulus by 36.2% (870 MPa to 1185 MPa), and flexural strength by 29.9% (58.9 MPa to 76.5 MPa). Shore D hardness rose from 78 to 84, while thermal analysis revealed an upward shift in glass transition temperature from 64.2 °C to 70.5 °C and degradation onset temperature from 281 °C to 301 °C. Surface wettability improved significantly, with water contact angle reduced from 89.3° to 54.7°, raising surface energy from 32.4 to 51.1 mN/m. Coating adhesion (ASTM D3359) improved from grade 3B to 5B, and wear resistance increased by 40% (wear index reduced from 0.125 to 0.075 mg/cycle). These results validate the dual-pathway approach of resin reinforcement and post-print surface modification, enabling SLA-printed parts to overcome typical FDM limitations of poor surface fidelity and weak interfacial bonding. The developed system demonstrates strong potential for high-performance coatings in biomedical, optical, and microfluidic device applications.

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