Method for the layerwise construction of models

• US 9,358,701 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huttenes-Albertus Chemische Werke GmbH
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Inventors: Gnchtel, Ingo, Gnther, Daniel, Ederer, Ingo, Lustig, Christian, Mller, Edgar
• Primary Examiner(s): THEISEN, MARY LYNN F
• Application Number:
  US14/126,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20140212677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 1/18 of inorganic agents B22C1/162 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 1/188 Alkali metal silicates
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 23/00 Tools; Devices not mentioned before for moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/10 Cores; Manufacture or installation of cores breaker cores B22C9/084
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/465 Applying setting liquid to dry mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/066 Precipitated or pyrogenic silica
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 Silica fume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00181 Mixtures specially adapted for three-dimensional printing (3DP), stereo-lithography or prototyping
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00215 Mortar or concrete mixtures defined by their oxide composition
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00905 as preforms
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/26 Silicates of the alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/02 Portland cement
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/32 Aluminous cements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

A method is described here for the layerwise construction of models, wherein, in a building region, a particulate material is applied layerwise and selectively cured. These steps are repeated until a desired model is obtained. The material comprises in this case a particulate building material and a spray-dried alkali metal silicate solution. Selective activation of the curing proceeds using a water-comprising solution.

Claims

1. A method for building models in layers, wherein a particulate material is applied in layers in a build space and selectively hardened and these steps are repeated until a desired model is obtained, the particulate material comprises a particulate building material, characterized in that the particulate material comprises a spray-dried alkali silicate solution, the method includes a step of curing that is selectively activated by a solution containing water, and that a drying process is involved;

wherein the particulate material includes an inorganic curing agent; and

the inorganic curing agent is a latent curing agent, a synthetic silica, or a pyrogenic silicic acid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate building material includes sand.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the particulate material includes an auxiliary binder.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary binder is a hydraulically setting binder including Portland cement, alumina cement and/or a hydraulic binder containing alumina.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate material includes particles of the spray-dried alkali silicate solution.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the spray-dried alkali silicate solution is applied as a coating on the particulate building material.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkali silicate has a molar ratio M₂O:

SiO₂ of 1.6 to 3.8, wherein M is sodium, potassium, or both.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate material contains a spray-dried alkali silicate fraction amounting to 2-18% by weight.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic curing agent is a latent curing agent and the proportion of the latent curing agent amounts to 5-90% by weight in relation to the solid binder.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate material additionally includes refractory materials and/or fillers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the solution for the selective hardening is applied with an ink jet print head.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the curing is accelerated by heat.

13. A solid body manufactured by a method claim 1, characterized in that the solid body has a bending strength of greater than or equal to 220 N/cm².

14. The method of claim 1,

wherein

the particulate building material includes sand;

the latent inorganic curing agent includes an amorphous silicon dioxide;

the particulate material includes a hydraulically setting binder including a Portland cement, an alumina cement, or a hydraulic binder containing alumina;

the alkali silicate has a molar ratio M₂O;

SiO₂ of 1.9 to 3.4, where M is sodium, potassium, or both;

the spray-dried alkali silicate is present in an amount of 3-10% by weight;

the particulate material includes a mixture of the spray-dried alkali silicate binder, the sand, and the amorphous silicon dioxide in a % by weight ratio of 1.5-15;

80-98;

0.2-8;

the solution contains 5-15 percent by weight of a sheet silicate to activate the selective hardening;

the solution for the selective hardening is applied with an ink jet print head using piezo technology; and

the curing is accelerated by heat.

15. A material system for building models in layers, wherein a particulate material is applied in layers in a build space and selectively hardened and these steps are repeated until a desired model is obtained, the material system comprises a particulate building material, characterized in that the material system further comprises a spray-dried alkali silicate solution, and that a polar solvent is used for selectively activating the hardening;

wherein the material system includes an inorganic curing agent; and

the inorganic curing agent is a latent curing agent, a synthetic silica, or a pyrogenic silicic acid.

16. A method for building models in layers, wherein a particulate material is applied in layers in a build space and selectively hardened and these steps are repeated until a desired model is obtained, the particulate material comprises a particulate building material, characterized in that the particulate material comprises a spray-dried alkali silicate solution, curing that is selectively activated by a solution containing water, and that a drying process is involved;

wherein the solution contains a sheet silicate.

17. A method for building models in layers, comprising the steps of:

applying a particulate material in layers in a build space, and selectively hardening the particulate material;

wherein these steps are repeated until a desired model is obtained, wherein the particulate material comprises;

a particulate building material including a mixture of;

i) a spray-dried alkali silicate binder particles;

ii) a sand particles, and

iii) an amorphous silicon dioxide particles; and

the method includes a step of curing that is selectively activated by a solution containing water, and wherein a drying process is involved.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the spray-dried alkali silicate binder, the sand, and the amorphous silicon dioxide are present in the mixture in a % by weight ratio of 1.5-15:

80-98;

0.2-8.

19. A material system for building models in layers, wherein a particulate material is applied in layers in a build space and selectively hardened and these steps are repeated until a desired model is obtained, wherein the material system comprises:

a particulate building material including a mixture of;

i) a spray-dried alkali silicate binder particles

ii) a sand particles, and

iii) an amorphous silicon dioxide particles; and

a polar solvent for selectively activating the hardening.

20. The material system of claim 19,

wherein

the particulate building material includes sand;

the particulate material includes a latent inorganic curing agent including an amorphous silicon dioxide;

the particulate material includes a hydraulically setting binder including a Portland cement, an alumina cement, or a hydraulic binder containing alumina;

the alkali silicate has a molar ratio M₂O;

SiO₂ of 1.9 to 3.4, where M is sodium, potassium, or both;

the spray-dried alkali silicate is present in an amount of 3-10% by weight;

the material system includes a mixture of the spray-dried alkali silicate binder, the sand, and the amorphous silicon dioxide in a % by weight ratio of 1.5-15;

80-98;

0.2-8;

the solution contains 5-15 percent by weight of a sheet silicate to activate the selective hardening;

the material system includes a solution for the selective hardening including the polar solvent, wherein the solution is capable of being applied with an ink jet print head using piezo technology; and

the curing is accelerated by heat.