Our Cure Tester and Purification kit has been designed for chemical post-curing, cleansing, and purification of 3D prints to support maximum biocompatibility and help pass cytotoxicity testing when used with 3Dresyns biocompatible resin systems and qualified post-processing workflows.
When 3Dresyns biocompatible resins are properly cleansed with our Clear Detoxifier and Purification kit, prints can pass toxicity testing. This cleansing system is ideal for biomedical applications, including dental and hearing systems, where device safety is critical.
Step 1: Follow the official IFU
Follow first our Instructions for Use.
Cure Tester: qualitative degree-of-cure test
The cure test is based on applying a drop of the liquid, dark-color Cure Tester on the surface of the 3D print (exposed surface). After 5 minutes, the liquid can be removed and the surface cleaned for visual evaluation.
When there is no color difference between the exposed and the non-exposed surface, the cure of the print is complete (full conversion from liquid to solid resin). This indicates the absence of residual unreacted resin on the tested surface. In practice, prints immediately after printing are never fully cured.
Normally, there is a clear color difference between the chemically exposed surface (brownish color) and the non-exposed surface (original reference color of the 3D print), indicating the presence of unreacted resin and that the print is not yet ready for biomedical use.
This basic and easy-to-use test is useful for monitoring residual uncured/unreacted resin in biomedical prints. The qualitative result can be calibrated into a quantitative method using reference values.
Chemical post-curing (optional)
The Cure Tester can also be used as a chemical post-curing agent because it reacts with unreacted resin/monomer. Chemical post-curing can be performed by immersing or dipping the 3D prints in a flask containing the Cure Tester for 5–10 minutes at room temperature.
Any residual brown coloration (chemical burnout byproducts) can be eliminated by dipping the prints for 5–10 minutes in the Purification kit, followed by rinsing at least twice in clean water to remove any residual purification solution.
After light post-curing, the chemical purification process typically takes a total time of 10–20 minutes.
Post-curing and purification protocol
- Clean prints following our Instructions for Use IFU.
- Dip prints inside a flask containing the Cure Tester for 5–10 minutes at room temperature (avoid any contact of the Cure Tester with glycerine/glycerol to prevent exothermic oxidation reactions).
- Dip prints in the Purification kit (not the Cleaning Fluid Bio) for 5–10 minutes to remove residual brown color from byproducts left by the Cure Tester.
- Rinse prints in clean water at least twice to eliminate any residual Purification kit solution.
Kit contents and preparation
The Cure Tester and Purification kit is supplied as a kit containing two graduated beakers for immersion, one 1 L bottle for the Cure Tester (supplied as 10 g of a dark powder), and one 1 L bottle for the Purification kit (supplied as 50 g of a white powder).
Add 1 L of water to each original empty bottle containing the Cure Tester and the Purification kit and mix well to ensure full powder dissolution.
Read the MSDS (the kit contains corrosive chemicals). Use gloves and goggles to avoid any contact with skin and eyes.
Notes
- This kit is ideal for clear and for colored resins formulated with chemical-resistant colorants/pigments; otherwise colors may fade.
- Injected molded RTV silicones use platinum catalysts, which can be inhibited by chemicals contained in some 3D printed molds, leaving the silicone surface sticky or uncured. The use of our Cleaning Fluid, Cure Tester, and Purification kit can overcome this common issue by eliminating inhibiting chemicals from the surface of 3D printed molds.