| Abstract Scope |
Nuclear and radiochemical processing facilities require structural components resistant to both ionizing radiation and aggressive chemical environments simultaneously. This work presents high-tungsten-loaded photopolymer composites fabricated via Vat Photopolymerization, targeting dual chemical and radiation resistance for harsh nuclear facility deployment. Three formulations were developed using an aromatic epoxy-acrylate matrix filled with ammonium metatungstate (AMT) as tungsten (W) source: an unfilled control (R1), two composites (R30: 21.7 wt% W; R35: 25.3 wt% W). Silane surface functionalization converted AMT particle wettability (contact angle 27°→77°), suppressing agglomeration, reducing mass loss by 85-92% in water-based media, and improving print resolution by 41%. Chemical aging in acetone, 6M HNO₃, xylene, and DMF (7-30 days) showed R35 retaining 107.7% UTS after 7 days in acetone, outperforming all commercial resins tested (62-81%). After 30 days, R35 retained 92.1% UTS and 87.6% modulus in acetone and 96.8% UTS in DMF despite surface corrosion. Radiation aging studies are ongoing. |