Build material and applications thereof

• US 9,157,007 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Xu, Pingyong, Stockwell, John
• Primary Examiner(s): SASTRI, SATYA B
• Application Number:
  US14/025,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20140017460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/24 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• 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: C08F 290/067 Polyurethanes; Polyureas
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/42 Polycondensates having carboxylic or carbonic ester groups in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/672 Esters of acrylic or alkyl acrylic acid having only one group containing active hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/8175 with esters of acrylic or alkylacrylic acid having only one group containing active hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/14 of esters containing halogen, nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen atoms in addition to the carboxy oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/16 having terminal carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 133/14 of esters containing halogen, nitrogen, sulfur or oxygen atoms in addition to the carboxy oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential

Abstract

In one aspect, build materials operable for use in 3D printing systems are described herein. In some embodiments, a build material comprises about 10 to 30 percent by weight of an oligomeric curable material; about 50 to 75 percent by weight of at least one diluent; and about 3 to 15 percent by weight of a reactive component. Moreover, in some cases, the build material is free or substantially free of a non-reactive wax component.

Claims

1. A build material for use in a three-dimensional printing system comprising:

about 10 to 30 percent by weight of an oligomeric curable material;

about 50 to 75 percent by weight of at least one diluent;

about 5 to 15 percent by weight of an isocyanurate (meth)acrylate; and

less than about 5 percent by weight of a non-reactive wax component, based on the total weight of the build material,

wherein the oligomeric curable material is a urethane (meth)acrylate having a viscosity ranging from about 10,000 cps to about 300,000 cps at about 50°

C.;

wherein the build material when cured exhibits a tensile modulus of about 2250-3150 MPa and a tensile strength of about 46-76 MPa when measured according to ASTM D 638.

2. The build material of claim 1, wherein the build material further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiators, inhibitors, stabilizing agents, sensitizers, and combinations thereof.

3. The build material of claim 1, wherein the oligomeric curable material comprises about 15 to 25 percent by weight of the build material.

4. The build material of claim 1, wherein the at least one diluent contains one or more (meth)acrylate moieties.

5. The build material of claim 1, wherein the isocyanurate (meth)acrylate is an isocyanurate tri(meth)acrylate.

6. The build material of claim 1, wherein the isocyanurate (meth)acrylate is tris(2-hydroxy ethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate.

7. The build material of claim 1, wherein the build material comprises less than about 1 percent by weight of a non-reactive wax component.

8. The build material of claim 1, wherein the build material when cured exhibits a break elongation of about 5-20% when measured according to ASTM D 638.

9. The build material of claim 1, wherein the build material when cured exhibits a heat deflection temperature ranging from about 45°

C. to about 100°

C. when tested according to ASTM D 648.

10. The build material of claim 1, wherein the build material has a viscosity ranging from about 8.0 centipoise to about 18.0 centipoise at a temperature of about 65°

C.

11. A composition comprising:

a three-dimensionally printed article comprising the build material of claim 1.

12. A method of printing a three dimensional article comprising:

selectively depositing layers of a fluid build material to form the three dimensional article on a substrate, the build material comprising the build material of claim 1.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the layers of the build material are deposited according to an image of the three dimensional article in a computer readable format.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising supporting at least one of the layers of the build material with a support material.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising curing the build material.