Method for solid freeform fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10675808-B2
Application number	US-201715702408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

The present invention provides methods, processes, and systems for the manufacture of three-dimensional articles made of polymers using 3D printing. A layer of prepolymer is deposited on a build plate to form a powder bed. The deposited powder bed is heated to about 50° C. to about 170° C. Then, a solution of activating agent is printed on the powder bed in a predetermined pattern, and a stimulus is applied converting the prepolymer to the final polymer. After a predetermined period of time, sequential layers are printed to provide the three-dimensional article. The three-dimensional object can be cured to produce the three-dimensional article composed of the final polymers.

First claim

We claim:

1. A three-dimensional article made by the process of:
a. depositing a layer of prepolymer powder on a build plate to form a powder bed;
b. printing a solution of an activating agent at selected locations on the powder bed;
c. exposing the printed solution to a stimulus to form a polymer layer of the three-dimensional article;
d. repeating the steps (a)-(c) to form a remainder of the three-dimensional article; and
e. curing the article;
wherein the prepolymer is poly(amic acid).

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the poly(amic acid) comprises an aromatic dianhydride and an aromatic diamine, wherein the aromatic dianhydride and the aromatic diamine are in about 1:1 molar ratio.

3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the aromatic dianhydride is selected from the group consisting of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), biphenyl dianhydride (BPDA), benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA), and combination thereof, and wherein the aromatic diamine is p-phenylenediamine (PDA), 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA), or combinations thereof.

4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the activator is acetic anhydride, pyridine, triethylamine, N-methyl-pyrrolidine, or combinations thereof.

5. The article of claim 1 , wherein stimulus comprises, heat, light, oxidation, acid catalysis, base catalysis, transition metal catalysis, or combination thereof.

Assignees

• Boydston Andrew J
• Ganter Mark
• Storti Duane
• Goetz Adam Edward
• Yurtoglu Mete
• Larsen Michael Byrnes
• Peterson Gregory Isaac
• Ricoh Co Ltd
• Univ Washington

Inventors

• Boydston Andrew J
• Ganter Mark
• Storti Duane
• Goetz Adam Edward
• Yurtoglu Mete
• Larsen Michael Byrnes
• Peterson Gregory Isaac

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/10 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29K2105/251

  Particles, powder or granules (expandable particles B29K2105/046) · CPC title

• Y10T428/31721

  Of polyimide · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title