Infiltrant system for rapid prototyping process

• US 20050179167A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Hachikian, Zakar Raffi
• Granted Patent: US 7,608,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/271.100
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/10 Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/26 Impregnating making ferrous alloys by impregnation C22C33/0242
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/10 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for coating articles coating a surface by casting in general B05D1/30, B29C39/126 takes precedence
• 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: C08G 59/56 together with other curing agents
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

An infiltrant system for rapid prototyping processes. The infiltrant system generally includes a resin component and a hardener component. The resin component typically includes an epoxy resin, and a diluent. The hardener component typically includes an amine, optionally an amide, and optionally a catalyst. High strength infiltrant systems, flexible infiltrant systems, and a method for infiltrating a part are also described.

Claims

1. An infiltrant system comprising:

a resin component comprising;

an epoxy resin; and

a diluent; and

a hardener component comprising;

an amine selected from unmodified aliphatic amines, modified aliphatic amines, unmodified cycloaliphatic amines, modified cycloaliphatic amines, unmodified amidoamines, modified amidoamines, or combinations thereof;

optionally an amide selected from modified amidoamines, unmodified amidoamines, polyamines, or combinations thereof; and

optionally a catalyst.

2. The infiltrant system of claim 1 wherein the epoxy resin is selected from bisphenol A, bisphenol F, or combinations thereof.

3. The infiltrant system of claim 1 wherein the diluent is selected from reactive diluents, nonreactive diluents, or combinations thereof.

4. The infiltrant system of claim 3 wherein the diluent is a reactive diluent selected from difunctional reactive diluents, monofunctional reactive diluents, or combinations thereof.

5. The infiltrant system of claim 4 wherein the reactive diluent is selected from diglycidyl ether, glycidyl ether, or combinations thereof.

6. The infiltrant system of claim 5 wherein the diglycidyl ether is neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether.

7. The infiltrant system of claim 1 wherein the amine is an unmodified aliphatic amine.

8. The infiltrant system of claim 7 the unmodified aliphatic amine is aminoethyl-piperazine.

9. The infiltrant system of claim 7 wherein the amine is a polyamine.

10. The infiltrant system of claim 9 wherein the polyamine is a polyoxypropyleneamine base polyamine.

11. The infiltrant system of claim 7 wherein the unmodified aliphatic amine is a diethylene glycol di(aminopropyl) ether base unmodified aliphatic amine.

12. The infiltrant system of claim 7 wherein the amine is a mixture of a polyoxypropyleneamine base polyamine and a diethylene glycol di(aminopropyl) ether base unmodified aliphatic amine.

13. The infiltrant system of claim 1 wherein the amide is selected from modified amidoamines, or unmodified amidoamines.

14. The infiltrant system of claim 13 wherein the amide is an unmodified amide/imidazoline.

15. The infiltrant system of claim 1 wherein the amide is a mixture of polyamides.

16. The infiltrant system of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is selected from tertiary amines or benzyl alcohol.

55. The infiltrant system of claim 1 wherein the hardener component comprises a combination of a polyamine and an aliphatic amine.

56. The infiltrant system of claim 55 wherein the hardener component is a combination of polyoxypropyleneamine and diethylene glycol di(aminopropyl) ether base unmodified aliphatic amine.

17. An infiltrant system comprising:

a resin component comprising;

about 50 to about 90% by weight of resin component of an epoxy resin; and

about 10 to about 50% by weight of resin component of a diluent; and

a hardener component comprising;

about 20 to about 80% by weight of hardener component of an amine selected from unmodified aliphatic amines, modified aliphatic amines, unmodified cycloaliphatic amines, modified cycloaliphatic amines, unmodified amidoamines, modified amidoamines, or combinations thereof;

about 20 to about 70% by weight of hardener component of an amide selected from unmodified amidoamines, modified amidoamines, or combinations thereof; and

0 to about 10% by weight of hardener component of a catalyst.

18. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the epoxy resin is selected from bisphenol A, bisphenol F, or combinations thereof.

19. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the epoxy resin is present in an amount of about 70 to about 85% by weight of resin component.

20. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the diluent is present in an amount of about 15 to about 30% by weight of resin component.

21. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the diluent is selected from reactive diluents, nonreactive diluents, or combinations.

22. The infiltrant system of claim 21 wherein the diluent is a reactive diluent selected from difunctional reactive diluents, monofunctional reactive diluents, or combinations thereof.

23. The infiltrant system of claim 22 wherein the reactive diluent is selected from diglycidyl ether, glycidyl ether, or combinations thereof.

24. The infiltrant system of claim 23 wherein the reactive diluent comprises a mixture of about 5 to about 30% by weight of resin component diglycidyl ether and about 5 to about 20% by weight of resin component glycidyl ether.

25. The infiltrant system of claim 24 wherein the reactive diluent comprises a mixture of about 10 to about 20% by weight of resin component diglycidyl ether and about 5 to about 10% by weight of resin component glycidyl ether.

26. The infiltrant system of claim 23 wherein the diglycidyl ether is neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether.

27. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the amine is an unmodified aliphatic amine.

28. The infiltrant system of claim 27 the unmodified aliphatic amine is aminoethyl-piperazine.

29. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the amine is present in an amount of about 30 to about 60% by weight of hardener component.

30. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the amide is a modified amide/imidazoline.

31. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the amide is present in an amount of about 40 to about 60% by weight of hardener component.

32. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the catalyst is selected from tertiary amines or benzyl alcohol.

33. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein the catalyst is present in an amount of about 3 to about 7% by weight of hardener component.

34. The infiltrant system of claim 17 wherein

the resin component comprises:

about 50 to about 90% by weight of resin component of the epoxy resin selected from bisphenol A, bisphenol F, or combinations thereof; and

about 10 to about 50% by weight of resin component of a reactive diluent selected from diglycidyl ether, glycidyl ether, or combinations thereof; and

the hardener component comprises;

about 20 to about 80% by weight of hardener component of an unmodified aliphatic amine;

about 20 to about 70% by weight of hardener component of a modified amidoamine, an unmodified amidoamine, or combinations thereof; and

0 to about 10% by weight of hardener component of a tertiary amine catalyst.

35. The infiltrant system of claim 34 wherein

the resin component comprises:

about 70 to about 85% by weight of resin component of bisphenol F; and

about 10 to about 20% by weight of resin component of the reactive diluent diglycidyl ether;

about 5 to about 10% by weight of resin component of the reactive diluent glycidyl ether; and

the hardener component comprises;

about 30 to about 60% by weight of hardener component of aminoethyl-piperazine;

about 40 to about 60% by weight of hardener component of a modified amide/imidazoline; and

3 to about 7% by weight of hardener component of the tertiary amine catalyst.

36. An infiltrant system comprising:

a resin component comprising;

about 50 to about 90% by weight of resin component of an epoxy resin; and

about 10 to about 50% by weight of resin component of a diluent; and

a hardener component comprising;

about 30 to about 90% by weight of hardener component of an amine selected from unmodified aliphatic amines, modified aliphatic amines, unmodified cycloaliphatic amines, modified cycloaliphatic amines, unmodified amidoamines, modified amidoamines, or combinations thereof; and

about 10 to about 40% by weight of hardener component of an amide selected from polyamides and mixtures thereof.

37. The infiltrant system of claim 36 wherein the epoxy resin is selected from bisphenol A, bisphenol F, or combinations thereof.

38. The infiltrant system of claim 36 wherein the epoxy resin is present in an amount of about 70 to about 85% by weight of resin component.

39. The infiltrant system of claim 36 wherein the diluent is present in an amount of about 15 to about 30% by weight of resin component.

40. The infiltrant system of claim 36 wherein the diluent is selected from reactive diluents, nonreactive diluents, or combinations thereof.

41. The infiltrant system of claim 40 wherein the diluent is a reactive diluent selected from difunctional reactive diluents, monofunctional reactive diluents, or combinations thereof.

42. The infiltrant system of claim 41 wherein the reactive diluent is selected from diglycidyl ether, glycidyl ether, or combinations thereof.

43. The infiltrant system of claim 42 wherein the reactive diluent comprises a mixture of about 5 to about 30% by weight of resin component diglycidyl ether and about 5 to about 20% by weight of resin component glycidyl ether.

44. The infiltrant system of claim 43 wherein the reactive diluent comprises a mixture of about 10 to about 20% by weight of resin component diglycidyl ether and about 5 to about 10% by weight of resin component glycidyl ether.

45. The infiltrant system of claim 42 wherein the diglycidyl ether is neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether.

46. The infiltrant system of claim 36 wherein the amine is a mixture of a polyamine and an unmodified aliphatic amine.

47. The infiltrant system of claim 46 wherein the amine is a mixture of about 20 to about 80% by weight of hardener component of the polyamine and about 10 to about 40% by weight of hardener component of the unmodified aliphatic amine.

48. The infiltrant system of claim 47 wherein the amine is a mixture of about 35 to about 60% by weight of hardener component of the polyamine and about 20 to about 30% by weight of hardener component of the unmodified aliphatic amine.

49. The infiltrant system of claim 46 wherein the polyamine is a polyoxypropyleneamine base polyamine.

50. The infiltrant system of claim 46 wherein the unmodified aliphatic amine is a diethylene glycol di(aminopropyl) ether base unmodified aliphatic amine.

51. The infiltrant system of claim 46 wherein the amine is a mixture of a polyoxypropyleneamine base polyamine and a diethylene glycol di(aminopropyl) ether base unmodified aliphatic amine.

52. The infiltrant system of claim 36 wherein the amide is present in an amount of about 20 to about 35% by weight of hardener component.

53. The infiltrant system of claim 36 wherein

the resin component comprises:

about 50 to about 90% by weight of resin component of an epoxy resin selected from bisphenol A, bisphenol F, or combinations thereof; and

about 10 to about 50% by weight of resin component of a reactive diluent selected from diglycidyl ether, glycidyl ether, or combinations thereof; and

a hardener component comprising;

about 20 to about 80% by weight of hardener component of a polyamine;

about 10 to about 40% by weight of hardener component of an unmodified aliphatic amine; and

about 10 to about 40% by weight of hardener component of a mixture of polyamides.

54. The infiltrant system of claim 53 wherein

the resin component comprises:

about 70 to about 85% by weight of resin component of bisphenol F; and

about 10 to about 20% by weight of resin component of the reactive diluent diglycidyl ether;

about 5 to about 10% by weight of resin component of the reactive diluent glycidyl ether; and

a hardener component comprising;

about 35 to about 60% by weight of hardener component of a polyoxypropyleneamine base polyamine;

about 20 to about 30% by weight of hardener component of an diethylene glycol di(aminopropyl) ether base unmodified aliphatic amine; and

about 20 to about 35% by weight of hardener component of a mixture of polyamides.

57. A method for infiltrating a part made by a rapid prototyping process comprising:

mixing an infiltrant system comprising a resin component and a hardener component,

the resin component comprising;

an epoxy resin; and

a diluent; and

a hardener component comprising;

an amine;

optionally an amide; and

optionally a catalyst;

providing the part;

applying the infiltrant system to the part;

curing the infiltrant system.