Compositions and methods for use in three dimensional model printing

• US 7,479,510 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Objet Geometries
• Inventors: Levy, Avi, Napadensky, Eduardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman; Susan W
• Application Number:
  US11/518,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 522/84, 522/90, 522/96, 522/83, 522/181, 522/182, 522/75, 522/79, 522/81, 522/175, 430/269, 528/392, 528/425, 524/804, 524/832
• US Class Current: 522/75
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• 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: B41M 3/006 Patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g. pesticides, perfumes, adhesive patterns; use of microencapsulated material; Printing on smoking articles
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2/00 Addition polymers of aldehydes or cyclic oligomers thereof or of ketones; Addition copolymers thereof with less than 50 molar percent of other substances
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0037 Production of three-dimensional images

Abstract

Compositions suitable for support in building a three-dimensional object are described. The compositions may include a non-curable component and a curable component not reactive with the non-curable component. The composition may further include a surface-active agent and a stabilizer, wherein the composition has a first viscosity of about 20-500 cps at ambient temperature, and a viscosity lower than 20 cps at a temperature higher than the ambient temperature. After irradiation, the composition results in a solid, a semi-solid or liquid material.

Claims

1. A composition suitable for support in building a three dimensional object, said composition comprising:

at least one curable component,

at least one non-curable component, said non-curable component being a polyol or glycol compound,

wherein none of said non-curable components is reactive with any of said curable components;

a surface additive for reducing surface tension; and

a stabilizer;

wherein all components of the composition are either miscible or soluble in the composition and said composition has a first viscosity of 100-500 cps at ambient temperature and a second viscosity of <

20 cps at a temperature higher than said ambient temperature;

wherein, after irradiation, said composition results in a solid, a semi solid or a gel material capable of dissolving or swelling upon exposure to water, to an alkaline or acidic water solution or to a water detergent solution.

2. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising water.

3. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising at least one photoinitiator.

4. The composition according to claim 3, wherein said photo-initiator is a free radical photo-initiator, a cationic photo-initiator, or any combination thereof.

5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said curable component is a (meth)acrylic component.

6. The composition according to claim 5, wherein said (meth)acrylic component is a (meth)acrylic monomer, a (meth)acrylic oligomer, a (meth)acrylic crosslinker or a combination thereof.

7. The composition according to claim 5, wherein said (meth)acrylic component is a (meth)acrylated urethane oligomer derivative of polyethylene glycol, a partially (meth)acrylated polyol oligomer, an (meth)acrylated oligomer having hydrophilic substituents, polyethylene glycol mono or di (meth)acrylated, acrylamide, acryloyl morpholine or any combination thereof.

8. The composition according to claim 7, wherein said hydrophilic substituents are acidic substituents, amino substituents, hydroxy substituents, ionic substituents or any combination thereof.

9. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising a molecule having one or more vinyl ether substituents.

10. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said non-curable component is polyethylene glycol, methoxypolyethylene glycol, glycerol, ethoxylated polyol, propylene glycol or any combination thereof.

11. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising a sulfur-containing component being beta mercaptopropionate, mercaptoacetate or alkane thiol.

12. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising a low molecular weight polymer.

13. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising a pigment, a dye or a combination thereof.

14. The composition according to claim 13, wherein said pigment is a white pigment, an organic pigment, an inorganic pigment, a metal pigment or a combination thereof.

15. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said first viscosity is <

120 cps.

16. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising a component able to produce gas upon exposure to water or to an alkaline or acidic water solution.

17. The composition according to claim 16, wherein said component is sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate or a combination thereof.

18. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising a low molecular weight polymer.

19. A composition suitable for support in building a three dimensional object, said composition comprising:

at least one curable component,

at least one non-curable component, said non-curable component being a non-water miscible compound,

wherein none of said non-curable components is reactive with any of said curable components;

a surface additive for reducing surface tension; and

a stabilizer;

wherein all components of the composition are either miscible or soluble in the composition and said composition has a first viscosity of 100-500 cps ambient temperature and a second viscosity of <

20 cps at a higher than ambient temperature;

wherein, after irradiation, said composition results in a solid, a semi solid or a qel material.

20. The composition according to claim 19, further comprising at least one photoinitiator.

21. The composition according to claim 20, wherein said photo-initiator is a free radical photo-initiator, a cationic photo-initiator, or any combination thereof.

22. The composition according to claim 19, wherein said curable component is a (meth)acrylic component.

23. The composition according to claim 22, wherein said (meth)acrylic component is a (meth)acrylic monomer, a (meth)acrylic oligomer, a (meth)acrylic crosslinker or a combination thereof.

24. The composition according to claim 19, wherein said non-water miscible compound is paraffin oil.

25. The composition according to claim 19, further comprising a molecule having one or more vinyl ether substituents.

26. The composition according to claim 19, further comprising a sulfur-containing component being beta mercaptopropionate, mercantoacetate or alkane thiol.

27. The composition according to claim 19, further comprising a pigment, a dye or a combination thereof.

28. The composition according to claim 27, wherein said pigment is a white pigment, an organic pigment, an inorganic pigment, a metal pigment or a combination thereof.

29. The composition according to claim 19, wherein said first viscosity is <

120 cps.

30. The composition according to claim 19, further comprising a component able to produce gas upon exposure to water or to an alkaline or acidic water solution.

31. The composition according to claim 30, wherein said component is sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate or a combination thereof.

32. The composition according to claim 19, wherein said solid, semi-solid or gel material is non-miscible in water.