INCREASED INTERLAYER ADHESION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTED ARTICLES
First Claim
1. A method to increase interlayer adhesion of a three-dimensional (3D) printed article, the method comprising:
- positioning an extrusion nozzle of a 3D printer along a path;
coupling a microplasma source to the extrusion nozzle such that the microplasma source is positioned along the path of the extrusion nozzle, wherein the microplasma source is positioned to either precede or follow the extrusion nozzle along the path;
depositing a polymer layer from the extrusion nozzle along the path onto a surface of a substrate to form the 3D printed article; and
treating the surface of the substrate or a surface of the deposited polymer layer with plasma from the microplasma source by applying a voltage between a ground reference and at least one of two electrodes positioned within the microplasma source to cause a plasma drop from the microplasma source onto the surface of the substrate or the surface of the deposited polymer layer.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Technologies are generally described to increase interlayer adhesion of a 3D printed article. A printhead of a 3D printing system may include an extrusion nozzle configured to deposit one or more polymer layers onto a substrate to form the 3D printed article. A microplasma source may be coupled to the extrusion nozzle and may be configured to treat a surface of the substrate or a surface of the deposited polymer layers with plasma from the microplasma. The plasma may include at least one reactive species that may oxidize the surface of the substrate or the surface of the deposited polymer layer upon treatment in order to increase the interlayer adhesion of the 3D printed article.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method to increase interlayer adhesion of a three-dimensional (3D) printed article, the method comprising:
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positioning an extrusion nozzle of a 3D printer along a path; coupling a microplasma source to the extrusion nozzle such that the microplasma source is positioned along the path of the extrusion nozzle, wherein the microplasma source is positioned to either precede or follow the extrusion nozzle along the path; depositing a polymer layer from the extrusion nozzle along the path onto a surface of a substrate to form the 3D printed article; and treating the surface of the substrate or a surface of the deposited polymer layer with plasma from the microplasma source by applying a voltage between a ground reference and at least one of two electrodes positioned within the microplasma source to cause a plasma drop from the microplasma source onto the surface of the substrate or the surface of the deposited polymer layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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3-4. -4. (canceled)
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9. A printhead, comprising:
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an extrusion nozzle of a three-dimensional (3D) printer configured to deposit one or more polymer layers onto a surface of a substrate to form a 3D printed article; and a microplasma source incorporated into the extrusion nozzle, the microplasma source configured to treat a surface of the substrate or a surface of a deposited polymer layer with plasma from the microplasma source as the one or more polymer layers are deposited from the extrusion nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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11-14. -14. (canceled)
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16. (canceled)
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22. A system to increase interlayer adhesion of a three-dimensional (3D) printed article, the system comprising:
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a deposition module comprising an extrusion nozzle of a 3D printer positioned along a path, the deposition module configured to deposit one or more polymer layers from the extrusion nozzle along the path onto a surface of a substrate to form a 3D printed article; a treatment module comprising two or more microplasma sources coupled to the extrusion nozzle and positioned along the path of the extrusion nozzle such that a first of the two or more microplasma sources precedes the extrusion nozzle and a second of the two or more microplasma sources follows the extrusion nozzle, the treatment module configured to treat a surface of the substrate or a surface of the one or more deposited polymer layers with plasma from the two or more microplasma sources; and a controller configured to coordinate operations of the deposition module and the treatment module during a fabrication of the 3D printed article. - View Dependent Claims (23, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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24. (canceled)
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29. (canceled)
Specification