THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTING MATERIAL SYSTEM AND METHOD USING PLASTICIZER-ASSISTED SINTERING

• US 20080281019A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Z CORPORATION (A Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Williams, Derek X., Giller, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 7,968,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 524/8
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/188 involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials

Abstract

aterials system, kit, and methods are provided to enable the formation of articles by three dimensional printing. The kit includes (i) a substantially dry particulate material including an aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic particulate material, plaster, and a water-soluble adhesive; (ii) an aqueous fluid binder, and (iii) an infiltrant.

Claims

1. A powder material system for three dimensional printing comprising:

a substantially dry particulate material including;

an aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic particulate material,

plaster, and

a water-soluble adhesive,

wherein the dry particulate material is suitable for use in three dimensional printing to form an article comprising a plurality of layers, the layers including a reaction product of the particulate material and an aqueous fluid that contacts the particulate material during three dimensional printing.

2. The material system of claim 1, wherein a static and a dynamic friction coefficient of the particulate material possess a relationship defined by a Bredt parameter having a value in excess of 0.1.

3. The material system of claim 1, wherein an internal angle of friction of the particulate material is selected from a range of 40°

to 70°

.

4. The material system of claim 1, wherein the particulate material comprises about 5%-50% by weight of the aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic, about 25-90% by weight of the plaster, and about 5-30% by weight of the water-soluble adhesive.

5. The material system of claim 1, wherein the aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene, polyamide, poly-cyclic-olefins, and combinations thereof.

6. The material system of claim 1, wherein the particulate material further comprises a processing aid.

7. A kit comprising:

a substantially dry particulate material including;

an aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic particulate material,

plaster, and

a water-soluble adhesive;

an aqueous fluid binder; and

an infiltrant.

8. The kit of claim 7, wherein the infiltrant comprises 0-99.99% by weight hydroxylated hydrocarbon, 0-99.99% by weight a solid wax, 0-99.99% by weight a plasticizer, and 0.01-5% by weight a stabilizer.

9. The kit of claim 8, wherein the hydroxylated hydrocarbon comprises a hydrocarbon diol with a molecular weight greater than 118 g/mol, a melting point greater than 30°

C., and a kinematic viscosity of less than or equal to 150 centiStokes at a temperature of at least 50°

C.

10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the hydrocarbon diol comprises octane diol.

11. The kit of claim 9, wherein the hydrocarbon diol comprises decane diol.

12. The kit of claim 7, wherein the infiltrant comprises hydroxylated hydrocarbon including (i) a hydrocarbon diol with a molecular weight greater than 118 g/mol and a melting point greater than 30°

C. and (ii) a plasticizer.

13. The kit of claim 12, wherein the hydroxylated hydrocarbon comprises decane diol.

14. The kit of claim 12, wherein the plasticizer comprises benzene sulfonamide.

15. The kit of claim 12, wherein the plasticizer comprises propylene carbonate.

16. The kit of claim 8, wherein the hydroxylated hydrocarbon comprises an alcohol having a boiling point selected from a range of 25°

C. to 100°

C., and the plasticizer has a boiling point selected from a range of 25°

C. to 100°

C.

17. The kit of claim 16, wherein the alcohol comprises isopropanol.

18. The kit of claim 16, wherein the plasticizer comprises ethanol.

19. A method for forming an article by three dimensional printing, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a particulate material comprising a plurality of adjacent particles, the particulate material comprising an aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic;

applying to at least some of the plurality of particles an aqueous fluid binder in an amount sufficient to bond those particles together to define the article; and

immersing the article in a liquid infiltrant medium.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the liquid infiltrant medium comprises a hydroxylated hydrocarbon.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the liquid infiltrant medium further comprises a plasticizer.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the particulate material further comprises at least one of plaster, a water-soluble adhesive, a retarder, an accelerator, and a processing aid.

23. An essentially solid article manufactured by a three-dimensional printing process, the essentially solid article comprising a product of the reaction of a mixture comprising:

a particulate material including an aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic particulate material, plaster, and a water-soluble adhesive;

an aqueous fluid comprising water, a humectant, a rheology modifier, a surfactant, a preservative, and an optical brightening agent, and

an infiltrant comprising a hydroxylated hydrocarbon, a wax, a plasticizer, and a stabilizer,

wherein the aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic particulate material is plasticized by the infiltrant.

24. An article comprising:

a product of;

a substantially dry particulate material including;

an aqueous-insoluble thermoplastic particulate material,

plaster, and

a water-soluble adhesive; and

an infiltrant.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the article has a strength of at least 5 MPa.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein the article has a strength of at least 15 MPa.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein the article has a strength of at least 20 MPa.