Powder compositions comprising bimodal/multimodal particles, and articles prepared therefrom

• US 10,442,901 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SHPP Global Technologies BV
• Original Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Price, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Hoa (Holly)
• Application Number:
  US15/757,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20180273707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/003 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• 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: C08J 2379/08 Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/12 Powdering or granulating
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/124 Treatment for improving the free-flowing characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/28 Treatment by wave energy or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/00 Manufacture of articles or shaped materials containing macromolecular substances manufacture of semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00 - B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/2227 of aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/22 of metals
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/36 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 179/08 Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/031 characterised by particle size or shape
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/037 Rheology improving agents, e.g. flow control agents

Abstract

A powder composition including a plurality of thermoplastic particles having an optimized particle size and particle size distribution is disclosed. The powder composition includes a plurality of thermoplastic particles having a bimodal particle size distribution or a trimodal particle size distribution. Also disclosed are methods of preparing three-dimensional articles, methods of preparing a powder coating, and articles prepared by the methods.

Claims

1. A powder composition, comprising:

a plurality of thermoplastic particles characterized by a bimodal particle size distribution comprising, based on the total weight of the particles,

67 to 77 weight percent of the particles having a first D50 less than 1 millimeter; and

23 to 33 weight percent of the particles having a second D50 that is 0.732 times the first D50.

2. A powder composition, comprising:

a plurality of thermoplastic particles characterized by a trimodal particle size distribution comprising, based on the total weight of the particles,

66 to 76 weight percent of the particles having a first D50 less than 1 millimeter;

23 to 33 weight percent of the particles having a second D50 that is 0.732 times the first D50; and

0.5 to 5 weight percent of the particles having a third D50 that is 0.268 times the first D50.

3. A powder composition, comprising:

a plurality of thermoplastic particles characterized by a bimodal particle size distribution comprising, based on the total weight of the particles,

85 to 94 weight percent of the particles having a first D50 less than 1 millimeter; and

6 to 15 weight percent of the particles having a D50 that is 0.414 times the first D50.

4. The powder composition of claim 3, wherein the first D50 is from 1 nm to 500 micrometer.

5. The powder composition of claim 3, wherein the first D50 is from 100 nm to 50 μ

m.

6. The powder composition of claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is amorphous.

7. The powder composition of claim 3, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyacetal, poly(C_1-6 alkyl)acrylate, polyacrylamide, polyamide, polyamideimide, polyanhydride, polyarylate, polyarylene ether, polyarylene sulfide, polyarylsulfone, polybenzothiazole, polybenzoxazole, polycarbonate, polyester, polyetheretherketone, polyetherimide, polyetherketoneketone, polyetherketone, polyethersulfone, polyimide, poly(C_1-6 alkyl)methacrylate, polymethacrylamide, polynorbornenes, polyolefin, polyoxadiazole, polyoxymethylene, polyphthalide, polysilazane, polysiloxane, polystyrene, polysulfide, polysulfonamide, polysulfonate, polysulfone, polythioester, polytriazine, polyurea, polyurethane, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl ester, polyvinyl ether, polyvinyl halide, polyvinyl ketone, polyvinyl thioether, polyvinylidene fluoride, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing thermoplastic polymers.

8. The powder composition of claim 3, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polycarbonate, a polyetherimide, a polyimide, a polysulfone, a polyethersulfone, a polyphenylene sulfone, a polyarylene ether, a polyetherether ketone, a polyamide or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

9. The powder composition of claim 3, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is amorphous.

10. The powder composition of claim 3, further comprising a particulate filler, antioxidant, heat stabilizer, light stabilizer, ultraviolet light stabilizer, ultraviolet light absorbing additive, near infrared light absorbing additive, infrared light absorbing additive, plasticizer, lubricant, release agent, antistatic agent, anti-fog agent, antimicrobial agent, colorant, laser marking additive, surface effect additive, radiation stabilizer, flame retardant, anti-drip agent, fragrance, fiber, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

11. The powder composition of claim 3, further comprising a flow promoter in an amount of 0.005 to 1 weight percent, based on the weight of the thermoplastic polymer particles, to provide particles having a flowability of greater than or equal to 4.

12. The powder composition of claim 11, wherein the flow promoter comprises an unmodified fumed metal oxide, a hydrophobic fumed metal oxide, a hydrophilic fumed metal oxide, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

13. The powder composition of claim 3, wherein the thermoplastic particles have a sphericity of 0.9 to 1, or wherein the thermoplastic particles each have a minimum and a maximum radius of within 10%.

14. A method of preparing a three-dimensional article, the method comprising:

powder bed fusing the powder composition of claim 3 to form a three-dimensional article.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the powder bed fusing comprises selective laser sintering.

16. A three-dimensional article made by the method of claim 15.

17. A method of preparing a powder coating, the method comprising:

applying a powder coating layer comprising the powder composition of claim 3 to a substrate; and

consolidating the powder coating layer to form the powder coating.

18. A powder-coated article made by the method of claim 17.

19. A method of preparing a three-dimensional article, the method comprising:

compression molding the powder composition of claim 3 to form the three-dimensional article.

20. A three-dimensional article made by the method of claim 19.