Inks for 3D printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12539693-B2
Application number	US-202117526437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2021
Priority date	Mar 11, 2014
Publication date	Feb 3, 2026
Grant date	Feb 3, 2026

Abstract

In one aspect, inks for use with a three-dimensional printing system are described herein. In some embodiments, an ink described herein is a composite ink. Such a composite ink, in some cases, comprises an optically transparent or substantially transparent carrier ink comprising a curable material; and a colorant dispersed in the carrier ink in an amount of about 0.01 to 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the composite ink.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1 . A composite ink for use in a three-dimensional printing system comprising:
a carrier ink comprising a curable material; and a colorant dispersed in the carrier ink in an amount of 0.01 to 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the composite ink, wherein a chroma of the composite ink at a given thickness of the composite ink is within 20% of a maximum chroma of the colorant in the composite ink, and wherein the carrier ink has an optical transparency of at least 80% transmission between 350 nm and 750 nm at a thickness of 0.01 to 10 mm; wherein the curable material consists of 15-25 wt. % urethane (meth)acrylate oligomers; 28-42 wt. % non-oligomeric mono(meth)acrylates, 28-36 wt. % non-oligomeric di(meth)acrylates, and 8-12 wt. % non-oligomeric tri(meth)acrylates wherein the carrier ink comprises 0.1-0.2 wt. % stabilizer and 2-4 wt. % photoinitiator.

2 . The composite ink of claim 1 , wherein the colorant comprises a particulate pigment.

3 . The composite ink of claim 2 , wherein the particulate pigment has an average particle size of 50-1000 nm.

4 . The composite ink of claim 3 , wherein the average particle size is 70-200 nm.

5 . The composite ink of claim 1 , wherein the colorant comprises a molecular dye.

6 . The composite ink of claim 1 , wherein the carrier ink comprises 10-95 weight % curable material, based on the total weight of the carrier ink.

7 . The composite ink of claim 1 further comprising one or more additives selected from the group consisting of inhibitors, sensitizers, and combinations thereof.

8 . The composite ink of claim 1 , wherein the composite ink has a viscosity ranging from 8.0 cP to 19.0 cP at a temperature of 65° C. measured according to ASTM standard D2983.

9 . The composite ink of claim 1 , wherein the composite ink has a viscosity ranging from 8.0 cP to 14.0 cP at a temperature of 80° C. when measured according to ASTM standard D2983.

10 . The composite ink of claim 1 , wherein the curable material is present in an amount of 10-95 weight %, based on the total weight of the carrier ink,
wherein the colorant is present in an amount of 0.01 to 3 weight %, based on the total weight of the composite ink, and wherein the carrier ink has an optical transparency of at least 95% transmission between 350 nm and 750 nm at a thickness of 0.01 to 10 mm.

Assignees

• 3D Systems Incorporated
• 3D Systems Inc

Inventors

• Wang Patricia
• Xu Pingyong
• Thomas Jr Jule W
• Meinhardt Michael B

Classifications

• C08F222/103

  of trialcohols, e.g. trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate · CPC title

• C08F222/102

  of dialcohols, e.g. ethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate or 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate · CPC title

• C08F220/12

  of monohydric alcohols or phenols · CPC title

• C08F222/1065

  of alcohol terminated (poly)urethanes, e.g. urethane(meth)acrylates · CPC title

• Y10T428/25

  Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles · CPC title