photopolymer

1 7.4

A plastic that becomes hard when light hits it, used for printing and making models

noun
/ˌfoʊtəˈpɒlɪmər/

Specialized

: fotopolímero

PHOTO (COLOR): The investment casting patterns on the left were produced by injecting wax into photopolymer mold halves (fight) fabricated on a Cubital Solider rapid prototyping system.

Examples

A photopolymer is liquid until it's exposed to ultraviolet light, and then it polymerizes, or solidifies, into a plastic," Ruprecht said.

Blog text (21)
His technology encompasses thin-film processes of adhesives, vinyl, color media, photopolymers, vacuum deposition, and microstructured surfaces.

Academic text (1996)
Stereolithography uses a UV laser to cure a photopolymer resin layer by layer, creating precise 3D models.
A photopolymer changes from liquid to solid when exposed to light, making it essential for modern printing technology.
In the production process, a photopolymer is initially a liquid that hardens upon exposure to UV light, enabling efficient manufacturing.

Surface Forms

photopolymer singular

photopolymers plural

Morphology

photopolymer = polymer (semi-transparent) = photo + polymer

The meaning is fairly clear from photo- plus polymer, but the term is technical and may not be fully recoverable for average learners.

Etymology

Photopolymer comes from photo- meaning 'light', as in photograph, and poly- plus -mer meaning 'many' and 'parts', as in polygon. So, a photopolymer is a material made of many small parts that harden or change when it is exposed to light.