ABSTRACT
Acrylates comprise the esters, salts, and conjugate bases of acrylic acid and compounds derived from it, and are characterized by the acrylate ion CH2=CHCOO−. They form homopolymers and copolymers. Acrylates constitute the building block of acrylic polymers that are present in numerous consumer products, such as adhesives, coatings, paints, and textiles, only to name a few. This chapter illustrates acrylates, their characteristics, properties, applications, suppliers, and current and near-future market. It describes commercial and experimental polymeric feedstocks that are processed in two families of additive manufacturing (AM) processes: vat photopolymerization (VP), and material jetting. Recent research in non-sustainable and sustainable acrylate-based polymers for AM is reviewed, and in the latter case, new sustainable acrylate-based polymers for AM are reported that have been developed to target different applications, such as: (a) stiff, thermally resilient polymers enabling high-resolution and smooth surface finish; (b) UV-curable acrylates based on natural phenolic polymers, and competitive in strength and stiffness with non-sustainable commercial resins for VP; (c) novel acrylate converted from soybean oil to epoxide in order to 4D print “smart” biomedical scaffolds; and (d) a biodegradable and high-resolution resin derived from waste cooking oil.
