Laser sintering metallogel for volumetric metal additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021170679-A1
Application number	US-201916705040-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 5, 2019
Priority date	Dec 5, 2019
Publication date	Jun 10, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment, a metal part includes a geometric three-dimensional printed structure consisting essentially of pure metal. In accordance with another embodiment, a metallic precursor resin includes a metallopolymer material including a metal-thiolate polymer. The metallopolymer material is a metallogel. The metallogel is substantially transparent and has a viscosity for enabling three-dimensional printing thereof.

First claim

1 . A three-dimensional printed metal part formed by heating a structure formed of a metallopolymer material having a microstructure comprised of a metal-thiolate polymer for removing the polymer, the metal part comprising,
a geometric three-dimensional printed structure consisting essentially of pure metal.

2 . A metal part as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metal part has a substantially uniform density throughout.

3 . A metal part as recited in claim 1 , wherein the geometric three-dimensional printed structure has at least one physical characteristic selected from the group consisting of: a curved geometry, a substantially smooth surface, and a surface finish without layering artifacts.

4 . A metal part as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metal part comprises at least one coinage metal selected from the group consisting of: pure gold, pure copper, and pure silver.

5 . A metallic precursor resin comprising,
a metallopolymer material comprising a metal-thiolate polymer, wherein the metallopolymer material is a metallogel, the metallogel is substantially transparent, the metallogel has a viscosity for enabling three-dimensional printing thereof.

6 . A metallic precursor resin as recited in claim 5 , wherein the metallopolymer material is essentially amorphous.

7 . A metallic precursor resin as recited in claim 5 wherein the metal-thiolate polymer includes a metal selected from the group consisting of: gold, silver, copper, and a combination thereof.

8 . A method of forming a three-dimensional metal structure having a complex geometric shape, the method comprising:
forming a three-dimensional structure using a metallopolymer material having a microstructure comprised of a metal-thiolate polymer; and heating the three-dimensional structure for removing the polymer, thereby forming the three-dimensional structure consisting essentially of pure metal.

9 . A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the metal-thiolate polymer includes a metal selected from the group consisting of: gold, silver, copper, and a combination thereof.

10 . A method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the metal is substantially unreactive with oxygen.

11 . A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the three-dimensional structure is formed using a mold.

12 . A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the metallopolymer material is a photopolymer resin.

13 . A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the three-dimensional structure is formed using a two-dimensional printing technique.

14 . A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the two-dimensional printing technique includes projection micro stereo lithography.

15 . A method as recited in claim 12 , the three-dimensional structure is formed using a three-dimensional printing technique.

16 . A method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional printing technique includes using a volumetric additive manufacturing apparatus.

17 . A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the heating includes sintering the three-dimensional structure with a laser.

18 . A method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the laser is a component of a volumetric additive manufacturing apparatus.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Compel William
• Spadaccini Christopher
• Worsley Marcus A

Classifications

• B33Y70/00 Primary

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F10/12

  by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP] · CPC title

• B22F2998/00

  Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B22F3/1143

  involving an oxidation, reduction or reaction step · CPC title