Preparing and dispensing polymer materials and producing polymer articles therefrom

A system for mixing components and dispensing a mixture for forming a thiol-ene polymer article, the system comprising:

• a first reservoir containing a first component of the thiol-ene polymer comprising a first polymerizable compound;
• a second reservoir containing a second component of the thiol-ene polymer comprising a second polymerizable compound;
• a solvent reservoir containing a solvent;
• a gas reservoir containing an inert gas;
• a mixing vessel having a mixing chamber;
• a delivery manifold providing a conduit for each of the first component from the first reservoir, the second component from the second reservoir, the solvent from the solvent reservoir, and the inert gas from the gas reservoir to the mixing vessel;
• a dispensing manifold providing a conduit for fluid from the mixing vessel;
• and
• a control module in communication with the delivery manifold and the dispensing manifold, the control module being programmed to, during operation of the system:
• cause the delivery manifold to deliver a metered amount of the first component from the first reservoir and a metered amount of the second component from the second reservoir into the mixing chamber of the mixing vessel to form a mixture comprising the metered amounts of the first and second components in the mixing vessel under conditions sufficient to cause a chemical reaction between the first and second polymerizable compounds in the mixture such that a viscosity of the mixture increases over time,
• subsequent to causing the delivery manifold to deliver the metered amount of the first component from the first reservoir and the metered amount of the second component from the second reservoir into the mixing chamber of the mixing vessel, cause the delivery manifold to deliver the inert gas from the gas reservoir into the mixing vessel,
• while the mixture's viscosity is below 1000 mPa·s, to cause the dispensing manifold to dispense the mixture from the mixing vessel into a mold
• subsequent to causing the dispensing manifold to dispense the mixture from the mixing vessel, cause the delivery manifold to deliver the solvent into the mixing vessel to flush the mixing vessel.