Water soluble polymer compositions

• US 10,435,576 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2018
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interfacial Consultants, LLC (Nagase & Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Infinite Material Solutions, LLC (Nagase & Company Limited)
• Inventors: Brunner, Philip, DePrenger-Gottfried, Gavriel, Ockwig, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Polley, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US15/990,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20180340089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2029/00 Use of polyvinylalcohols, polyvinylethers, polyvinylaldehydes, polyvinylketones or polyvinylketals or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0062 water-soluble
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/1535 Five-membered rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/1545 Six-membered rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/284 with hydroxylated hydrocarbon radicals
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 101/14 the macromolecular compounds being water soluble or water swellable, e.g. aqueous gels
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 29/06 Copolymers of allyl alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 29/14 Homopolymers or copolymers of acetals or ketals obtained by polymerisation of unsaturated acetals or ketals or by after-treatment of polymers of unsaturated alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 79/02 Polyamines
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/102 containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions other than those only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/106 containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/14 based on carbohydrates
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/38 characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes

Abstract

A water soluble polymer composition includes a water soluble polymer and a sugar and may be used as a support in additive manufacturing processes.

Claims

1. A water soluble polymer composition comprising:

a semi-crystalline water soluble polymer; and

a sugar having a melting point of at least 200°

C.;

wherein the semi-crystalline water soluble polymer and the sugar are melt processable and substantially miscible and form a water soluble polymer composition; and

wherein the water soluble polymer composition is substantially dry.

2. The water soluble polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer composition is substantially stable at a build chamber temperature of at least about 140°

C.

3. The water soluble polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer composition is substantially stable at a build chamber temperature of at least about 150°

C.

4. The water soluble polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer composition is substantially stable at a build chamber temperature of at least about 170°

C.

5. The water soluble polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer composition is substantially stable at a build chamber temperature of at least about 190°

C.

6. The water soluble polymer composition of claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer composition is substantially stable at a build chamber temperature of at least about 210°

C.

7. The water soluble polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the semi-crystalline water soluble polymer comprises butendiol vinylalcohol copolymer.

8. The water soluble polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the sugar comprises trehalose.

9. The water soluble polymer composition according to claim 1, further comprising one or more additives or further polymers.

10. The water soluble polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer composition is semi-crystalline.

11. The water soluble polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer composition has a dissolution rate of at least about 400 mg/min according to Dissolution Test Method 2.

12. The water soluble polymer composition according to claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer composition has a dissolution rate of at least about 600 mg/min as determined by Dissolution Test Method 2.

13. A water soluble support composition comprising:

a semi-crystalline water soluble polymer having a dissolution rate of at least 100 mg/min according to Dissolution Test Method 2 and is substantially stable at build chamber temperatures of at least 140°

C.

14. A water soluble support composition of claim 13, wherein the semi-crystalline water soluble polymer is drawn down during processing.

15. A three-dimensional printed article comprising:

a three-dimensional printed object generally disposed on a substantially horizontal build plate; and

one or more soluble supports positioned about and supporting one or more portions of the three-dimensional printed object, the soluble supports comprising a water soluble polymer composition;

wherein the water soluble polymer composition is formed by melt processing a semi-crystalline water soluble polymer and a sugar having a melting point of at least 200°

C.; and

wherein the semi-crystalline water soluble polymer and the sugar are substantially miscible.

16. The three-dimensional printed article according to claim 15, wherein the semi-crystalline water soluble polymer comprises butendiol vinylalcohol copolymer.