Additive manufacturing of thermosetting resins via direct ink writing and radio frequency heating and curing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12365137-B2
Application number	US-202218072190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2022
Priority date	Dec 8, 2021
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

In an embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a method of direct ink writing (DIW). In general, the method includes extruding a resin from a print head, applying radio frequency (RF) heating to the resin, and inducing partial curing of the extruded resin layer-by-layer to thereby form a self-supporting structure. In an additional embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a system for DIW. In some embodiments, the system includes a print head operable to extrude a resin from a nozzle and an RF applicator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for direct ink writing (DIW), the system comprising:
a print head operable to extrude a resin from a nozzle; and
a co-planar radio frequency (RF) applicator, wherein the co-planar radio frequency applicator is a non-contact applicator that is located at a position below the extruded resin.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the resin comprises components to increase a cross-linking thermoset RF response in the resin.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the components comprise conductive carbon nanotubes.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the increased cross-linking thermoset RF heating response results in rapid and localized heating of the resin.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF applicator is configured to partially cure a stabilized structure that does not collapse under its own weight or lose shape resolution.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF applicator is configured to allow for bonding of subsequent layers on top of a bottom layer formed via partial curing of the resin.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the subsequent layers promote inter-layer adhesion to form a self-supporting structure.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF applicator has a variable lateral speed to adjust time and temperature of curing within the system.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the co-planar RF applicator comprises one of parallel metal plates and parallel traces.

Assignees

• Texas A & M Univ Sys

Inventors

• Sarmah Anubhav
• Crowley Ava
• Desai Suchi
• Zolton Gabriel
• Green Micah J

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29K2105/162

  Nanoparticles · CPC title

• B29K2101/10

  Thermosetting resins · CPC title

• B33Y70/10

  Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials · CPC title

• B29K2507/04

  Carbon · CPC title