Sacrificial support in 3D additive manufacturing made from PEO graft copolymer and nanoscopic particulate processing aids; methods for manufacturing such materials

A method for preparing a sacrificial support material for use in printing a three-dimensional (3D) article, the method comprising:

• providing a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite comprising:
• a water-soluble thermoplastic polyethylene oxide graft polymer having:
• a polyethylene oxide polymer backbone;
• and
• from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the polyethylene oxide polymer backbone of at least one polar vinyl monomer grafted to the polyethylene oxide polymer backbone;
• one or more structural reinforcement materials uniformly dispersed in the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 20% by weight of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite;
• and
• one or more plasticizers uniformly dispersed in the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 15% by weight of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite;
• wherein the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite has a viscosity in the range of from about 100 to about 10,000 Pa-sec. when measured at a shear rate in the range of from about 1×101 to about 1×104 reciprocal seconds;
• and
• forming the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite into the 3D printable sacrificial support material;
• wherein water-soluble is defined as at least one of a composite, composition, substance, and material that is soluble in that it melts, liquefies, dissolves, disintegrates, falls apart, or solubilizes when brought into contact with an aqueous fluid.

A 3D printable sacrificial support material for use in printing a 3D article, the 3D printable sacrificial support material comprising:

• a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite comprising:
• a water-soluble thermoplastic polyethylene oxide graft polymer having:
• a polyethylene oxide polymer backbone;
• and
• from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the polyethylene oxide polymer backbone of at least one polar vinyl monomer grafted to the polyethylene oxide polymer backbone;
• and
• one or more nanoscopic particulate processing aids uniformly dispersed in the graft polymer in an amount of from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite;
• wherein the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite has a viscosity in the range of about 100 to about 10,000 Pa-sec. when measured at a shear rate in the range of about 1×101 to about 1×104 reciprocal seconds;
• and
• wherein water-soluble is defined as at least one of a composite, composition, substance, and material that is soluble in that it melts, liquefies, dissolves, disintegrates, falls apart, or solubilizes when brought into contact with an aqueous fluid.