Additive manufacture-assisted method for making structural elements having controlled failure characteristics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11724443-B2
Application number	US-202016874449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2020
Priority date	May 14, 2020
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A process for making a layered multi-material structural element having controlled mechanical failure characteristics. The process includes the steps of: supplying a cementitious layer and forming a polymer layer on the cementitious layer by additive manufacture such that the polymer layer has a first thickness and the cementitious layer has a second thickness, wherein the polymer layer comprises a polymer and the cementitious layer comprises a cementitious material; and allowing the polymer from the polymer layer to suffuse into the cementitious layer for a period of time to obtain a suffused zone in the cementitious layer such that the suffused zone has a third thickness that is less than half the second thickness.

First claim

We claim:

1. A process for making a layered multi-material structural element having controlled mechanical failure characteristics, the process comprising the steps of:
supplying a cementitious layer and forming a polymer layer on the cementitious layer by additive manufacture such that the polymer layer has a first thickness and the cementitious layer has a second thickness;
wherein the polymer layer comprises a polymer comprising a liquid crystal elastomer and the cementitious layer comprises a cementitious material;
allowing the polymer from the polymer layer to suffuse into the cementitious layer for a period of time to obtain a suffused zone in the cementitious layer such that the suffused zone has a third thickness that is less than half the second thickness; and
using a stimulus to manipulate the suffused zone, wherein the stimulus is selected from the group consisting of a temperature change, electric field, magnetic field, radiation, and any combination of the same.

2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising repeating the process to obtain multiple polymer layers and multiple cementitious layers having suffused zones.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymer further comprises a second polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polylactic acid, and combinations of the same.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is between 0.05 millimeters (mm) and 10 mm.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the second thickness is between 0.05 mm and 100 mm.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer comprises a conductive material.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the conductive material is selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, polyaniline fibers, polythiophenes, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, copper, zinc, aluminum, nickel-aluminum alloys, and combinations of the same.

8. The process of claim 6 , wherein the layered multi-material structural element comprises a conductive material configured to provide a piezoresponse to a changing load.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the steps of the process are carried out in a wellbore.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co
• Univ Rice William M

Inventors

• Sajadi Seyed Mohammad
• Meiyazhagan Ashokkumar
• Boul Peter
• Rahman Muhammad
• Thaemlitz Carl
• Ajayan Pulickel

Classifications

• B29C64/118 Primary

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B32B13/12

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• B32B27/306

  comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title