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US 11,186,717 B2Granted
Enhanced powder flow and melt flow of polymers for additive manufacturing applications
AssigneeShpp Global Technologies B.V.
InventorsChiel Albertus Leenders, Samuel Ijsselmuiden, Johannes Gerardus Petrus Goossens, Bruke Jofore, Hao Gu
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Abstract
Provided are thermoplastic-nanoparticle compositions that exhibit enhanced powder and melt flow. The disclosed compositions, comprising nanoparticles being silylated, have particular application in additive manufacturing processes, such as selective laser sintering and other processes.
Claims13
An additive-manufactured workpiece, comprising:
- an amount of a fused thermoplastic powder comprising a thermoplastic composition comprising a thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide (PEI), polycarbonate (PC), poly(lactic acid) (PLLA), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET);
- a population of nanoparticles present at less than about 1 wt % measured against the weight of the thermoplastic and the nanoparticles in the workpiece, the population of nanoparticles having a volume average cross-sectional dimension of less than about 100 nm, and
- at least some of the nanoparticles being silylated;
- wherein the additive-manufactured workpiece has a density that is 70 to 99 percent of the density of a workpiece prepared by injection molding of the same thermoplastic composition.
1 more element
A composition suitable for additive manufacturing, comprising:
- a population of thermoplastic particles comprising a thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide (PEI), polycarbonate (PC), poly(lactic acid) (PLLA), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET);
- and
- a population of silylated nanoparticles having a volume average diameter of less than about 100 nm,
- the population of silylated nanoparticles being present at less than about 0.2 wt % measured against the weight of the thermoplastic and the nanoparticles in the composition.
1 more element
A method of additively manufacturing an article, comprising:
- depositing a first amount of a composition onto a target surface;
- the composition comprising a population of thermoplastic particles and a population of silylated nanoparticles having a volume average diameter of less than about 100 nm;
- wherein the thermoplastic particles comprise a thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide (PEI), polycarbonate (PC), poly(lactic acid) (PLLA), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET);
- directing energy to the first amount of the composition so as to melt a portion of the first amount of the composition and join the first amount of the composition to the target surface;
- wherein directing energy to the first amount of the composition effects formation of a first layer comprising the composition;
- depositing a second amount of the composition onto the layer;
- directing energy to the second amount of the composition so as to melt a portion of the second amount of the composition and join the second amount of the composition to the layer;
- wherein directing energy to the second amount of the composition effects formation of a second layer comprising the composition;
- and
- depositing and at least partially melting additional amounts of the composition, thereby creating successive layers and forming a pre-defined structure.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.