Modeling the thermal behavior of photopolymers for in-space fabrication - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #Thermal Modeling
- #In-Space Manufacturing
- #Photopolymerization
- Photopolymer-based manufacturing is promising for space missions due to low energy use, but heat from polymerization causes defects in microgravity without convection.
- ISS experiments and parabolic flights show that microgravity worsens heat buildup, leading to issues like surface blistering and deformation.
- A predictive thermal model combines heat transfer, light absorption, and material changes to simulate polymerization and temperature in both Earth and space conditions.
- Lab tests validate the model by matching measured temperature profiles, and it accurately predicts blistering in TJ-3704A resin and defect-free results for Norland adhesives in ISS experiments.
- The model serves as a design tool to choose polymer properties, exposure methods, and conditions to prevent excess heat, enabling reliable in-space manufacturing for future missions.