Methods for the preparation of reinforced three-dimensional bodies

• US 5,906,863 A
• Filed: 04/26/1996
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Ceramics Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Anthony Mulligan, John Lombardi, Kevin Stuffle, Paul Calvert, Peter Creegan
• Inventors: Calvert, Paul, Lombardi, John, Stuffle, Kevin, Creegan, Peter, Mulligan, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): HENDERSON JR, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US08/638,609
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 427/372.2, 427/226, 427/261, 427/385.5, 427/376.1, 427/407.1, 427/468.26, 156/578, 156/574
• US Class Current: 427/385.5
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/22 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles
• 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: B29K 2033/00 Use of polymers of unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof as moulding material B29K2035/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0002 monomers or prepolymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0094 having particular viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/246 Uncured, e.g. green
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2709/02 Ceramics
• 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

The present invention generally relates compositions and methods for the preparation of three-dimensional bodies, e.g., green bodies, ceramic-loaded green bodies, and polymer matrix composites, by the controlled, sequential deposition of layers of material upon one another. The method for preparing a green body comprises depositing a liquid composition having a viscosity of at least about 10 poise and comprising thermally-polymerizable components onto a base in a predetermined pattern to form a layer of the liquid composition on the base. Subsequently, at least one further layer of the liquid composition is deposited on a previously-formed layer in a predetermined pattern to form a multi-layered intermediate and, then, the multi-layered intermediate is heated to cause the thermally-polymerizable components to polymerize, providing the three-dimensional green body. Another method of the present invention provides a method for reinforcing a green body with fibers. More than simply reinforcing the body, however, this particular aspect of the present invention allows the alignment of reinforcing fibers in the body to be controlled. A further aspect of the present invention is the discovery of a novel composition which may be used to provide a three-dimensional polymer matrix composite using free-formation methods. This composition comprises at least one urethane acrylate oligomer, at least one vinyl monomer, and has a viscosity of at least 10 poise.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a three-dimensional green body comprising passing a first liquid composition having a viscosity of at least about 10 poise and comprising a thermally-polymerizable component and at least one reinforcing ceramic particle precursor which forms a reinforcing ceramic particle upon hydrolysis through a dispensing head and onto a base in a predetermined pattern to form a layer of the first liquid composition on the base,

passing a second liquid composition having a viscosity of at least about 10 and comprising a thermally-polymerizable component and at least one reinforcing ceramic particle precursor which forms a reinforcing ceramic particle upon hydrolysis through a dispensing head and onto the layer of the first liquid composition in a predetermined pattern to provide a multi-layered intermediate,

subjecting the multi-layered intermediate to conditions which cause the thermally-polymerizable components in the first and second liquid compositions to polymerize and the reinforcing ceramic particle precursors in the first and second liquid compositions to hydrolyze and form reinforcing ceramic particles,

wherein the first and second liquid compositions are the same or different.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing ceramic particle precursor in the first liquid composition is tetraethoxysilane.