Color stable inks and applications thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469073-B2
Application number	US-201514617989-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2015
Priority date	Aug 28, 2012
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

In one aspect, inks for use with a 3D printer are described herein. In some embodiments, an ink comprises a polymerizable material and a reactive wax comprising a saturated alkyl moiety bonded to an ethyleneically unsaturated moiety through a urethane, urea, ester, or carbonate ester linkage, wherein the ink is free or substantially free of non-reactive wax.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A method of preventing development of a white residue on a surface of a three-dimensionally printed article, the method comprising:
selectively depositing layers of a fluid ink to form the article on a substrate, the ink comprising:
a polymerizable material comprising one or more species of (meth)acrylates; and
a reactive wax comprising a saturated alkyl moiety bonded to an ethylenically unsaturated alkyl moiety through a urethane linkage,

wherein the ink is free or substantially free of non-reactive wax,
wherein the article when cured does not develop a white surface residue when aged under ambient conditions for 3 months to 1 year or when heated to a temperature greater than a melting point of the reactive wax, and
wherein the reactive wax comprises the reaction product of an isocyanatoalkyl (meth)acrylate having 2-18 carbon atoms in its alkyl chain and a fatty alcohol having 4-36 carbon atoms in its alkyl chain.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink when cured exhibits a tensile modulus of 2300 MPa to 2800 MPa when measured according to ASTM D 638.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink when cured exhibits a break elongation of 25% to 40% when measured according to ASTM D 638.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink when cured exhibits a heat deflection temperature ranging from 105° C. to 120° C. when tested according to ASTM D 648.

5. A method of preventing development of a white residue on a surface of a three-dimensionally printed article, the method comprising:
selectively depositing layers of a fluid ink to form the article on a substrate, the ink comprising:
a polymerizable material comprising one or more species of (meth)acrylates; and
a reactive wax comprising a saturated alkyl moiety bonded to an ethylenically unsaturated alkyl moiety through a urethane linkage,

wherein the ink is free or substantially free of non-reactive wax,
wherein the article when cured does not develop a white surface residue when aged under ambient conditions for 3 months to 1 year or when heated to a temperature greater than a melting point of the reactive wax, and
wherein the reactive wax comprises a chemical species of Formula (II):

wherein x is an integer from 0 to 34, y is an integer from 1 to 17, and R is H or CH 3 .

6. A method of preventing development of a white residue on a surface of a three-dimensionally printed article, the method comprising:
selectively depositing layers of a fluid ink to form the article on a substrate, the ink comprising:
a polymerizable material comprising one or more species of (meth)acrylates; and
a reactive wax comprising a saturated alkyl moiety bonded to an ethylenically unsaturated alkyl moiety through a urea linkage,

wherein the ink is free or substantially free of non-reactive wax,
wherein the article when cured does not develop a white surface residue when aged under ambient conditions for 3 months to 1 year or when heated to a temperature greater than a melting point of the reactive wax, and
wherein the reactive wax comprises a chemical species of Formula (III):

wherein x is an integer from 0 to 34, y is an integer from 1 to 17, and R is H or CH 3 .

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactive wax exhibits a melting point range centered between 50° C. and 80° C.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises a plurality of reactive waxes.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiators, inhibitors, stabilizing agents, sensitizers, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the reactive wax exhibits a melting point range centered between 50° C. and 80° C.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ink comprises a plurality of reactive waxes.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ink further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiators, inhibitors, stabilizing agents, sensitizers, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the reactive wax exhibits a melting point range centered between 50° C. and 80° C.

14. The method of claim 6 , wherein the ink comprises a plurality of reactive waxes.

15. The method of claim 6 , wherein the ink further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiators, inhibitors, stabilizing agents, sensitizers, and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• 3D Systems Inc

Inventors

• Xu Pingyong

Classifications

• B29C64/112

  using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads · CPC title

• C09D11/34

  Hot-melt inks · CPC title

• B29L2009/00

  Layered products · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29K2891/00

  Use of waxes as mould material · CPC title