This letter presents an experimental study and the associated numerical modeling of fast-curing, thermosetting droplets spreading on a heated surface. The results show a significant morphological dependence of the spreading droplets of Ecoflex 0050 (a heat-sensitive, platinum-catalyzed silicone material) on thermal conditions. Differential scanning calorimetry and rheometry provide quantifiable data for modeling the cure kinetics and rheological properties of the material. This work demonstrates an approach to developing a phenomenological model suitable for predicting the morphological variation of fast-curing, thermosetting materials without prior knowledge of their chemical composition. The developed multiphysics models for cure kinetics and chemorheology can serve as a functional tool for predictions requiring accurate dimensional control of free-forming thermosetting materials, such as nozzle-based additive manufacturing, centrifugal coating and forming, fabrication of soft robots, and soft lithography.
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Spreading of fast-curing, thermosetting silicones
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16 December 2019
Research Article|
December 18 2019
Spreading of fast-curing, thermosetting silicones

Jingjin Xie
;
Jingjin Xie
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
, Piscataway, New Jersey 08812, USA
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Robert Randolph
;
Robert Randolph
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
, Piscataway, New Jersey 08812, USA
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Gary Simmons;
Gary Simmons
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
, Piscataway, New Jersey 08812, USA
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Michael Vinciguerra
;
Michael Vinciguerra
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
, Piscataway, New Jersey 08812, USA
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Sahil Suri
;
Sahil Suri
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
, Piscataway, New Jersey 08812, USA
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Nicholas Bonini;
Nicholas Bonini
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
, Piscataway, New Jersey 08812, USA
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Anna Root
;
Anna Root
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
, Piscataway, New Jersey 08812, USA
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Patrick V. Hull;
Patrick V. Hull
2
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
, Huntsville, Alabama 35811, USA
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Aaron D. Mazzeo
Aaron D. Mazzeo
a)
1
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
, Piscataway, New Jersey 08812, USA
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
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a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
Appl. Phys. Lett. 115, 253701 (2019)
Article history
Received:
May 30 2019
Accepted:
November 12 2019
Connected Content
A companion article has been published:
Researchers simultaneously model curing and spreading of thermosetting polymers
Citation
Jingjin Xie, Robert Randolph, Gary Simmons, Michael Vinciguerra, Sahil Suri, Nicholas Bonini, Anna Root, Patrick V. Hull, Aaron D. Mazzeo; Spreading of fast-curing, thermosetting silicones. Appl. Phys. Lett. 16 December 2019; 115 (25): 253701. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5106388
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