Additive manufacturing cartridges and processes for producing cured polymeric products by additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018370123-A1
Application number	US-201616062954-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 17, 2015
Publication date	Dec 27, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to additive manufacturing cartridges having an oxygen impermeable layer and to processes for producing cured polymeric products by additive manufacturing wherein the oxygen content during additive manufacturing is limited such as by use of the cartridge and/or by use of an inert gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . An additive manufacturing cartridge comprising
(a) an actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture comprising
(i) a polyfunctionalized diene monomer-containing polymer having the formula:
[P][F]n where P represents a diene polymer chain, F represents a functional group, n is 2 to about 15, and each F can be the same or different;

(ii) optionally a chain extender based upon F or reactive with F; and
(b) an oxygen impermeable layer surrounding (a).

22 . The additive manufacturing cartridge of claim 21 , wherein (a) further comprises:
(iii) at least one actinic radiation sensitive photoinitiator; (iv) optionally, a photosensitizer; and (v) a polyfunctional crosslinker reactive with F.

23 . The additive manufacturing cartridge of claim 21 , wherein:
(ii) is present in (a) and/or (iv) is present in (a).

24 . The additive manufacturing cartridge of claim 21 , wherein the cartridge comprises at least two separate compartments
with a first compartment containing (i) and when present at least a portion of (ii), and a second compartment containing at least one of (iii) or (iv); (v) when present; and when present at least a portion of (ii).

25 . The additive manufacturing cartridge of claim 21 , wherein the oxygen impermeable layer is flexible.

26 . The additive manufacturing cartridge of claim 25 , wherein the flexible oxygen impermeable layer is surrounded by a rigid outer container.

27 . The additive manufacturing cartridge of any one of claims 21 - 26 , wherein the actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture within the cartridge has an oxygen level of less than 50 ppm.

28 . A process for producing an additive manufacturing cartridge comprising:
(a) an actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture comprising
(i) a polyfunctionalized diene monomer-containing polymer having the formula:
[P][F]n where P represents a diene polymer chain, F represents a functional group, n is 2 to about 15, and each F can be the same or different;

(ii) optionally a chain extender based upon F or reactive with F; and
(b) an oxygen impermeable layer surrounding (a), the process comprising: providing a cartridge having an oxygen impermeable layer, adding contents comprising (i) and optionally (ii) to the cartridge to produce an additive manufacturing cartridge with the oxygen impermeable layer surrounding the contents wherein the oxygen level of the contents within the oxygen impermeable layer is less than 50 ppm.

29 . The process of claim 28 , further comprising adding an inert gas to the cartridge prior to adding contents to the cartridge.

30 . The process of claim 28 , wherein the oxygen level within the cartridge is less than 50 ppm prior to adding contents to the cartridge.

31 . A process for producing a cured polymeric product, comprising
providing an additive manufacturing device comprising a source of actinic radiation, an exterior support structure having an atmosphere inside, an interior tank capable of containing a liquid mixture and having an atmosphere above the tank, and an interior support structure, providing to the interior tank a liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture comprising:
(i) a polyfunctionalized diene monomer-containing polymer having the formula:
[P][F] n where P represents a diene polymer chain, F represents a functional group, n is 2 to about 15, and each F can be the same or different;

(ii) optionally a chain extender based upon F or reactive with F;
(iii) at least one actinic radiation sensitive photoinitiator;
(iv) optionally, a photosensitizer; and
(v) a polyfunctional crosslinker reactive with F,
repeatedly forming upon the support structure a layer having a thickness of 0.01 mm to 1 mm from the liquid mixture, using actinic radiation to cure each layer, thereby producing a cured polymeric product,
wherein at least one of the following has an oxygen level of less than 50 ppm: the liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture within the interior tank, the atmosphere above the liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture within the interior tank, the atmosphere surrounding the interior support structure, or the atmosphere inside the exterior support structure.

32 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture is provided in a cartridge having an oxygen impermeable layer surrounding the liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture.

33 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture is provided in an additive manufacturing cartridge according to claim 21 .

34 . The process of claim 31 , further comprising adding an inert gas to at least one of:
the atmosphere above the liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture within the interior tank, the atmosphere surrounding the interior support structure, or the atmosphere inside the exterior support structure.

35 . The process of claim 32 , wherein the cartridge comprises at least two separate compartments
with a first compartment containing (i) and when present at least a portion of (ii), and a second compartment containing at least one of (iii) or (iv); (v) when present; and when present at least a portion of (ii).

36 . The process of claim 32 , further comprising adding an inert gas to the cartridge to facilitate providing of the liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture to the interior tank.

37 . The process of claim 32 , further comprising removing gas from the cartridge and supplying inert gas to the cartridge as the liquid actinic radiation curable polymeric mixture is removed during forming.

38 . A rubber good comprising the cured polymeric product resulting from the process of claim 31 .

39 . The rubber good according to claim 38 , wherein the rubber good comprises a bushing, a seal, a gasket, a conveyor belt, a hose, or a glove.

40 . The rubber good according to claim 38 , wherein the rubber good comprises a tire having at least one component selected from a tread, a bead, a sidewall, an innerliner, and a subtread, comprised of the cured polymeric product.

41 . The rubber good according to claim 40 , wherein the rubber good comprises (b) and the at least one component of the tire comprises a tread comprising at least one of the following: a closed hollow void, an undercut void, or an overhung tread.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Llc

Inventors

• Abell Joshua P
• Beaulieu Michael R
• Costlow Douglas B
• Haidet Andrew V

Classifications

• G03F7/0037

  Production of three-dimensional images · CPC title

• B29C2035/0833

  using actinic light · CPC title

• B29K2009/00

  Use of rubber derived from conjugated dienes, as moulding material · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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