Hot Lithography Technology

Photopolymers prepared by chain growth polymerization suffer from inhomogeneous polymer architecture and therefore britlle behaviour. Switching from chain growth polymerization to step growth polymerization is one key concept [1]. Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer Agents have been identified to deliver homogeneous and though photopolymers without delay of polymerization or loss of mechanical properties [2]. Another way to achieve thermoplast like polymers is by the Hot Lithography technology that has been invented by Cubicure. This allows the processing of high molecular and therefore highly viscous resins due to the elevated temperature of up to 120°C [3]. Furthermore, the Hot Lithography technology opens the gate to new photopolymer chemistry. The elevated temperature allows especially cationically induced curing that would not perform at room temperature sufficiently fast. This includes photoacid induced ring opening polymerization of oxazolines [4], lactones [5,6], orthoesters, orthocarbonates and cyclic carbonates as well as the curing of phenolic resins [7].