Polyolefin-based formulations for additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025122390-A1
Application number	US-202418987598-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2024
Priority date	Nov 13, 2020
Publication date	Apr 17, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A polyolefin-based ink for additive manufacturing includes a polyolefin comprising at least one type of functional group for crosslinking, where the polyolefin includes at least an ethylene monomeric unit and at least a propylene monomeric unit. The ethylene monomeric unit is present in a range of greater than 50 wt. % to about 75 wt. % of a total weight of the polyolefin. Moreover, the polyolefin has a molecular weight that is no more than five times the entanglement molecular weight of a homologous series of the polyolefin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A polyolefin-based ink for additive manufacturing, the ink comprising:
a polyolefin comprising at least one type of functional group for crosslinking, wherein the polyolefin comprises at least an ethylene monomeric unit and at least a propylene monomeric unit, wherein the ethylene monomeric unit is present in a range of greater than 50 weight. % to about 75 weight. % of a total weight of the polyolefin, wherein the polyolefin has a molecular weight that is no more than five times the entanglement molecular weight of a homologous series of the polyolefin.

2 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one type of functional group for crosslinking is chosen from a vinyl group, an oleyl group, a hydroxyl group, an amine group, an epoxy groups, a thiol groups, a protected carbamate group, a carboxylate groups, a xylene groups, and a xylenol group.

3 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises another type of monomeric unit chosen from ethylene, propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, heptene, oxtene, vinylacetate, acrylic monomeric units such as methylacrylate, ethylacrylate, propylacrylate, n- and t-butylacrylate, pentylacrylate, hexylacrylate, methylmethacrylate, cyclohexylmethacrylate, isobutylene, isopentene, isoprene, and chloroprene.

4 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the molecular weight is no more than twice the entanglement molecular weight of the polyolefin.

5 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ink has a crystallization temperature in a range of about 40 degrees Celsius to about 60 degrees Celsius.

6 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the propylene monomeric unit is in a range of greater than 25 weight. % to about 50 weight. % of a total weight of the polyolefin.

7 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises a diene monomeric unit.

8 . The ink as recited in claim 7 , wherein a concentration of the diene monomeric unit is in a range of greater than 0 weight. % to about 10 weight. % of a total weight of the polyolefin.

9 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , comprising a curing agent.

10 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , comprising a reinforcing filler and/or a reinforcing fiber.

11 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , comprising a rheology modifying additive.

12 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , comprising an inhibitor.

13 . The ink as recited in claim 1 , comprising an additive chosen from particulates, a porogen, a dispersant, a surfactant, a dye, a pigment, a physical blowing agent, a chemical blowing agent, and microballoons.

14 . A polyolefin-based ink for additive manufacturing, the ink comprising:
a polyolefin comprising at least one type of functional group for crosslinking, wherein the polyolefin has a molecular weight that is no more than 5× the entanglement molecular weight of a homologous series of the polyolefin, wherein the molecular weight is calculated using one of the techniques chosen from number average molecular weight, weight average molecular weight, and Z-average molar mass, wherein the ink has a crystallization temperature in a range of about 40 degrees Celsius to about 60 degrees Celsius.

15 . The ink as recited in claim 14 , wherein the at least one type of functional group for crosslinking is chosen from a vinyl group, an oleyl group, a hydroxyl group, an amine group, an epoxy groups, a thiol groups, a protected carbamate group, a carboxylate groups, a xylene groups, and a xylenol group.

16 . The ink as recited in claim 14 , wherein the polyolefin comprises at least one type of monomeric unit chosen from thylene, propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, heptene, oxtene, vinylacetate, acrylic monomeric units such as methylacrylate, ethylacrylate, propylacrylate, n- and t-butylacrylate, pentylacrylate, hexylacrylate, methylmethacrylate, cyclohexylmethacrylate, isobutylene, isopentene, isoprene, and chloroprene.

17 . The ink as recited in claim 14 , wherein the polyolefin comprises an ethylene monomeric unit, a propylene monomeric unit, and a diene monomeric unit.

18 . The ink as recited in claim 17 , wherein the ethylene monomeric unit is present in a range of greater than 50 weight. % to about 75 weight. % of a total weight of the polyolefin.

19 . The ink as recited in claim 17 , wherein the propylene monomeric unit is present in a range of greater than 25 weight. % to about 50 weight. % of a total weight of the polyolefin.

20 . The ink as recited in claim 17 , wherein the diene monomeric unit is present in a range of greater than 0 weight. % to about 10 weight. % of a total weight of the polyolefin.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Wilson Thomas S
• Golobic Alexandra Melody
• Lenhardt Jeremy M
• Schmidt Spencer

Classifications

• B29C64/118

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

• C09D123/08

  Copolymers of ethene (C09D123/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09D11/108 Primary

  Hydrocarbon resins · CPC title

• C09D11/037

  characterised by the pigment · CPC title

• B33Y70/10 Primary

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