# US 10,308,827 B2 · Ink jet ink compositions for digital manufacturing of transparent objects

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- Number: US 10,308,827 B2
- Document ID: US10308827B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/927,844
- Filed: 2015-10-30
- Published: 2017-05-04
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-30
- Assignees: Xerox Corporation
- Applicants: Xerox Corporation
- Inventors: Naveen Chopra; Barkev Keoshkerian; Carolyn Moorlag; C. Geoffrey Allen; Marcel P. Breton; Gordon Sisler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308827B2

## CPC

- C09D 11/38: characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes
- B29C 64/112: using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- C09D 11/101: Inks specially adapted for printing processes involving curing by wave energy or particle radiation, e.g. with UV-curing following the printing
- C09D 11/34: Hot-melt inks
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING

## Abstract

A curable ink including at least one monomer, oligomer, or prepolymer; an optional photoinitiator; an optional colorant; and amide gellant having a molecular weight of from about 800 to about 2,500 g/mole; wherein the ink has an onset of gelation defined by the glass transition of the low molecular weight amide gellant according to the relationship Onset of Gelation (K)=(Constant) Tg of gellant (K); wherein the Constant is less than 1.5. A process for printing a three-dimensional article including providing a curable ink; depositing the curable ink in one or more layers; and curing the deposited ink to form the three-dimensional object.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A curable ink comprising:
at least one monomer, oligomer, or prepolymer;
an optional photoinitiator;
an optional colorant; and
an amide gellant having a molecular weight of from about 800 to about 2,500 g/mole;
wherein the ink has an onset of gelation defined by the glass transition of the low molecular weight amide gellant according to the relationship
Onset of Gelation (K)=(Constant) Tg of gellant (K);
wherein the Constant is less than 1.5;
wherein the ink cures to produce a clear object; and
wherein the ink is wax-free.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein after curing via UV light and aging for a period of 1 month, the object possesses an appearance that is clear and substantially free of yellowing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein the Constant is about 1.1.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein, under ambient conditions in an indoor environment, after curing, the object is stable and non-yellowing for up to a year or more.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein the amide gellant is of the formula
wherein n is 1 to 10; and
wherein R1 and R1′ are each, independently of the other, selected from the group consisting of

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The ink of claim 5, wherein n is 1 to 2.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein the amide gellant has a molecular weight of less than about 2,000 g/mole.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein the onset of gelation of the ink is about 75° C. or lower.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein the onset of gelation of the ink is less than about 70° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein the glass transition temperature of the amide gellant is less than about 40° C.

### Claim 11

A process for printing a three-dimensional article comprising:
providing a curable ink comprising at least one monomer, oligomer, or prepolymer; an optional photoinitiator; an optional colorant; and a low molecular weight amide gellant having a molecular weight of from about 800 to about 2,500 g/mole; wherein the ink has an onset of gelation defined by the glass transition of the low molecular weight amide gellant according to the relationship Onset of Gelation (K)=(Constant) Tg of gellant (K); wherein the Constant is less than 1.5; and wherein the ink is wax-free;
depositing the curable ink in one or more layers; and
curing the deposited ink to form the three-dimensional object, wherein the cured three-dimensional object is clear.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein depositing comprises ink jet printing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein curing comprises curing after the last of the one or more layers is deposited.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein the three-dimensional object is clear.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein the amide gellant is of the formula
wherein n is 1 to 10; and
wherein R1 and R1′ are each, independently of the other, selected from the group consisting of

### Claim 16

A curable ink comprising:
at least one monomer, oligomer, or prepolymer;
an optional photoinitiator;
an optional colorant; and
a low molecular weight amide gellant having a molecular weight of from about 800 to about 2,500 g/mole;
wherein the ink has an onset of gelation defined by the glass transition of the low molecular weight amide gellant according to the relationship
Onset of Gelation (K)=(Constant) Tg of gellant (K);
wherein the Constant is less than 1.5;
wherein the low molecular weight amide gellant exhibits a three stage gelation profile;
wherein the ink cures to produce a clear object; and
wherein the ink is wax-free.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The ink of claim 16, wherein the amide gellant has a molecular weight of less than about 2,000 g/mole.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The ink of claim 16, wherein the onset of gelation of the ink is less than about 70° C.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The ink of claim 16, wherein the glass transition temperature of the curable amide gellant is less than about 40° C.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein the low molecular weight amide gellant exhibits a three stage gelation profile.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The ink of claim 1, wherein the ink cures to produce a clear, colored object;
wherein the ink contains colorant in an amount of from about 0.005 to 0.1 percent by weight, based on the weight of the ink; and
wherein the ink contains less than 2 percent by weight photoinitiator, based on the weight of the ink.

### Claim 22 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein the ink cures to produce a clear, colored object;
wherein the ink contains colorant in an amount of from about 0.005 to 0.1 percent by weight, based on the weight of the ink; and
wherein the ink contains less than 2 percent by weight photoinitiator, based on the weight of the ink.