IP Library Granted Patent US 12,447,688
Granted Patent B2
US 12,447,688 · App. 18/525,272 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Spatio-temporal monitoring of photopolymerization progression and related mechanisms

Inventors: Abhinav Parakh (Livermore, CA); Martin Patrick De Beer (Livermore, CA); Magi Yassa (Livermore, CA); Elena Romane Lilith Belk (Dublin, CA); Sijia Huang (Dublin, CA); Johanna Jesse Schwartz (Livermore, CA); Xiaoxing Xia (Livermore, CA)
Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
B29C64/393
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,447,688
App. No.
18/525,272
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one general embodiment, a method includes, during performance of an additive manufacturing process that includes photocuring of a resin, monitoring light output generated by a fluorophore in the resin that exhibits aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior. An indication of an extent of photocuring is output based on the monitored light output. In another general embodiment, a resin for additive manufacturing includes molecules configured for photopolymerization and/or photocuring, the molecules being selected from the group consisting of monomers, oligomers, and polymers; a photoinitiator; and a fluorophore that exhibits aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior. The fluorophore is present in an amount of at least 0.00005 wt % relative to a total weight of the resin. In yet another general embodiment, a three-dimensional encrypted structure includes a fluorophore that exhibits aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior. The structure has information encoded therein via the fluorophore, the information being viewable by illuminating the fluorophore with fluorescent light.

Claims (6)

1. A three-dimensional encrypted structure, comprising:

a structure comprising a fluorophore that exhibits aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior,

the structure having information encoded therein via the fluorophore, the information being viewable by illuminating the fluorophore with fluorescent light.

2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein a molecular characteristic of the structure varies according to encoding of the information such that the AIE behavior of the fluorophore is different in different portions of the structure.

3. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the information is encoded in an internal layer of the structure, wherein the information is viewable upon focused illumination of the internal layer with the fluorescent light, wherein the information is not viewable upon illumination of the entire structure with the fluorescent light.

4. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the entire structure has about a same concentration of the fluorophore throughout.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2024
From: PARAKH, ABHINAV; DE BEER, MARTIN PATRICK; YASSA, MAGI; BELK, ELENA ROMANE LILITH; HUANG, SIJIA; SCHWARTZ, JOHANNA JESSE; XIA, XIAOXING
To: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
Reel/Frame 066670/0001 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Feb 9, 2024
From: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
To: US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 066430/0465 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250178283A1 · Jun 5, 2025
References Cited (33)
US 9228949B2 · Tang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20100157291A1 · Kiesel et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110233804A1 · Batchelder · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20200398549A1 · Ritchie et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210252775A1 · Matuski et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210269707A1 · Fang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20230021553A1 · Sampson · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230151270A1 · Han et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
CN 106022801A · 2016 [cited by examiner]
CN 111621126A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 114153032B · 2023 [cited by applicant]
Li et al, 3D-printing AIE stereolithography resins with real-time monitored printing process to fabricate fluorescent objects, Composites Part B: Engineering, vol. 206, Feb. 1, 2021, 108526, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.co… [cited by examiner]
Gu et al, Visualizing Interfacial Jamming Using an Aggregation-Induced-Emission Molecular Reporter, Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. Apr. 12, 2021;60(16):8694-8699, Epub Mar. 8, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202016217 (Year… [cited by examiner]
Li et al, Tetraarylethene fluorescent dyes with aggregation-induced emission for LED-driven photocuring and 3D printing, Tetrahedron Letters, vol. 59, Issue 9, Feb. 28, 2018, pp. 836-840, DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D2M… [cited by examiner]
Yang et al, Novel AIE luminescent tetraphenylethene-doped poly (lactic acid) composites for fused deposition modeling and their application in fluorescent analysis of 3D printed products, Composites Part B: Engineering,… [cited by examiner]
Wang et al., “AIE luminogens: emission brightened by aggregation,” Materials Today, vol. 18, No. 7, Sep. 2015, pp. 365-377. [cited by applicant]
Hu et al., “Recent advances in AIE polymers,” Polymer Journal, vol. 48, 2016, pp. 359-370. [cited by applicant]
Liu et al., “Making Invisible Visible: In Situ Monitoring the RAFT Polymerization by Tetraphenylethylene-Containing Agents with Aggregation-Induced Emission Characteristics,” Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 201… [cited by applicant]
Li et al., “Tetraarylethene fluorescent dyes with aggregation-induced emission for LED-driven photocuring and 3D printing,” Materials Advances, vol. 3, 2022, pp. 8298-8305. [cited by applicant]
Aiegen Biotech, “data page,” AIEgen Biotech Co., 2023, 1 page retrieved from http://www.aiegen.com.hk/image/data/website/pdf/others.pdf. [cited by applicant]
Vidil et al., “Control of reactions and network structures of epoxy thermosets,” Progress in Polymer Science, 2016, pp. 126-179. [cited by applicant]
Tumbleston et al., “Continuous liquid interface production of 3D objects,” Science, vol. 345, No. 6228, pp. 1349-1352. [cited by applicant]
Quan et al., “Photo-curing 3D printing technique and its challenges,” Bioactive Materials, vol. 5, 2020, pp. 110-115. [cited by applicant]
Kelly et al., “Volumetric additive manufacturing via tomographic reconstruction,” Science, vol. 363, Mar. 8, 2019, pp. 1-5. [cited by applicant]
Wu et al., “Aggregation-induced emission: challenges and opportunities,” National Science Review, vol. 8, No. 6, Jun. 2021, pp. 1-3. [cited by applicant]
Liow et al., “Long-Term Real-Time In Vivo Drug Release Monitoring with AIE Thermogelling Polymer,” Small, vol. 13, 27 pages. [cited by applicant]
Yang et al., “Detecting topology freezing transition temperature of vitrimers by AIE luminogens,” Nature Communications, 2019, pp. 1-8. [cited by applicant]
Bartolo, P. “Stereolithography Materials, Processes and Applications,” Springer Science & Business Media, 2011, 345 pages. [cited by applicant]
Ngo et al., “Additive manufacturing (3D printing): A review of materials, methods, applications and challenges,” Composites Part B, vol. 143, 2018, pp. 172-196. [cited by applicant]
Luo et al., “Aggregation-induced emission of 1-methyl-1,2,3,4,5-pentaphenylsilole,” Chemical Communications, 2001, pp. 1740-1741. [cited by applicant]
Chowdhury et al., “Stimuli-Responsive Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE)-Active Polymers for Biomedical Applications,” ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, vol. 8, 2022, pp. 4207-4229. [cited by applicant]
Liu et al., “In Situ Monitoring of RAFT Polymerization by Tetraphenylethylene-Containing Agents with Aggregation-Induced Emission Characteristics,” Angewandte Chemie, vol. 57, 2018, pp. 6274-6278. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion from PCT Application No. PCT/US2024/056952, dated Mar. 21, 2025, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]