POYLMERIC COMPOSITION FOR USE AS A TEMPORARY SUPPORT MATERIAL IN EXTRUSION BASED ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

• US 20200131364A1
• Filed: 12/10/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JF Polymers ( Suzhou ) Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: JF Polymers ( Suzhou ) Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Luo, Xiaofan, Pei, Zhaokun, Yin, Haiqing
• Granted Patent: US 11,135,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• 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 2067/046 PLA, i.e. polylactic acid or polylactide
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/006 Bio-degradable, e.g. bioabsorbable, bioresorbable or bioerodible
• 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: C08L 2207/04 Thermoplastic elastomer
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/92 of polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/94 of other polycondensation products

Abstract

The polymeric composition of this invention can be used as a temporary support material in the additive manufacturing of three dimensional articles without compromising the quality of the ultimate product, reducing printing speed, increasing cost, increasing the incidence of printer jamming, or requiring printers of increased complexity. This invention more specifically discloses a polymeric composition which is particularly useful as a temporary support material for utilization in three-dimensional printing, said polymeric composition being comprised of a first polymeric component which is suitable for use as a modeling material and a second polymeric component which is immiscible with the first polymeric component, wherein the polymeric composition has a continuous phase, wherein the continuous phase is comprised of the second polymeric component, and wherein the polymeric composition has a Shore A hardness of at least 80.

Claims

1. A filament for use in three-dimensional printing as a temporary support material, said filament having a diameter which is within the range of 1.65 mm to 1.85 mm or which is within the range of 2.75 mm to 3.15 mm, wherein said filament is characterized by being comprised of a polymeric composition which is comprised of a first polymeric component which is suitable for use as a modeling material and a second polymeric component which is immiscible with the first polymeric component, wherein the polymeric composition has a continuous phase, wherein the continuous phase is comprised of the second polymeric component, and wherein the polymeric composition has a Shore A hardness of at least 80.

2. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein said filament has a diameter which is within the range of 1.65 mm to 1.85 mm.

3. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein said filament has a diameter which is within the range of 1.70 mm to 1.80 mm.

4. The filament as specified in claim 3 which is characterized in that said filament has a diameter which is within the range of 2.75 mm to 3.15 mm.

5. The filament as specified in claim 3 which is characterized in that said filament has a diameter which is within the range of 2.80 mm to 3.05 mm.

6. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the first polymeric component is selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic acid), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene triblock polymers, polycarbonate, polystyrene, high impact polystyrene, polycaprolactone, polyamides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene triblock polymers, styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene copolymers, acrylic polymers, acrylate polymers, methacrylic polymers, methacrylate polymers, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene terephthalate), polyethylene, poly(ethylene oxide), poly(hydroxybutyrate), styrenic polymers, poly(norbornene), polyoctenamer, poly(pentenamer), polypropylene), poly(propylene oxide), polyurea, polyurethane urea, poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl butyral), poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl fluoride), starch-based polymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, styrene-methylmethacrylate copolymers, siloxane polymers, and cellulose-based polymers.

7. The filament as specified in claim 6 wherein the second polymeric component is selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic acid), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene triblock polymers, polycarbonate, polystyrene, high impact polystyrene, polycaprolactone, polyamides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene triblock polymers, styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene copolymers, acrylic polymers, acrylate polymers, methacrylic polymers, methacrylate polymers, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene terephthalate), polyethylene, poly(ethylene oxide), poly(hydroxybutyrate), styrenic polymers, poly(norbornene), polyoctenamer, poly(pentenamer), polypropylene, poly(propylene oxide), polyurea, polyurethane urea, poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl alcohol, poly(vinyl butyral) poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl fluoride), starch-based polymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, styrene-methylmethacrylate copolymers, siloxane polymers, and cellulose-based polymers.

8. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the polymeric composition is not capable of absorbing more than 1 weight percent water.

9. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the polymeric composition is further comprised of a discontinuous phase, wherein the discontinuous phase is comprised of the first polymeric component.

10. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the first polymeric component is present in a second continuous phase.

11. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the first polymeric component is present in the polymeric composition at a level which is within the range of about 10 weight percent to about 45 weight percent and wherein the second polymeric component is present in the polymeric composition at a level which is within the range of about 55 weight percent to about 90 weight percent.

12. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the first polymeric component is present in the polymeric composition at a level which is within the range of about 15 weight percent to about 40 weight percent and wherein the second polymeric component is present in the polymeric composition at a level which is within the range of about 60 weight percent to about 85 weight percent.

13. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the first polymeric component is present in the polymeric composition at a level which is within the range of about 20 weight percent to about 30 weight percent and wherein the second polymeric component is present in the polymeric composition at a level which is within the range of about 70 weight percent to about 80 weight percent.

14. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the polymeric composition not capable of absorbing more than 0.5 weight percent water.

15. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the polymeric composition has a Shore A hardness of at least 90.

16. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the polymeric composition has a Shore A hardness of at least 95.

17. The filament as specified in claim 1 wherein the first polymeric component is poly(lactic acid).

18. The filament as specified in claim 17 wherein the poly(lactic acid) has an 1-lactic acid content which is within the range of 85% to 100%.

19. The filament as specified in claim 13 wherein the second polymeric composition is a thermoplastic polyurethane.

20. In the process of manufacturing a three-dimensional article by additive manufacturing which includes extruding at least one filament of a modeling material and at least one filament of a temporary support material into a desired geometric shape, the improvement which comprises the temporary support material being a polymeric composition which is comprised of a first polymeric component which is suitable for use as a modeling material and a second polymeric component which is immiscible with the first polymeric component, wherein the polymeric composition has a continuous phase, wherein the continuous phase is comprised of the second polymeric component, and wherein the polymeric composition has a Shore A hardness of at least 80.