# US 11,993,720 B1 · Selective reshaping of nanoparticles in three dimensional articles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,720 B1 - Document ID: US11993720B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/137,008 - Filed: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-16 - Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force - Applicants: Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force - Inventors: Clare M. Mahoney; Richard A. Vaia; Kyoungweon Park - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993720B1 ## CPC - B29C 71/04: by wave energy or particle radiation {, e.g. for curing or vulcanising preformed articles (during moulding, e.g. in a mould B29C35/08)} - C09D 11/037: characterised by the pigment - B29C 35/0805: {using electromagnetic radiation} - B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing - B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials - B33Y 80/00: Products made by 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 11/106: containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds - C09D 11/107: from unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof - B29C 2035/0822: {using IR radiation} - B29C 2035/0827: {using UV radiation} - B29C 2035/0833: {using actinic light} - B29K 2105/162: {Nanoparticles} - 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) - 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) - 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 - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract The present invention relates to processes for selective reshaping of nanoparticles in three dimensional articles, three dimensional articles produced by such processes, and methods of using such three dimensional articles. As a result of the aforementioned process, such three dimensional articles can have selective tuning that arises, at least in part, from the reshaped nanoparticles found in such articles. Such tuning provides the aforementioned articles with superior performance that can be advantageous in the areas including such as optical filters, multi-functional composites and sensing elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A three dimensional article comprising: a) a matrix material comprising a polymer, said polymer being a reductant; b) a population of nanoparticles; c) an optional oxidant; and d) an optional reductant said population of nanoparticles being dispersed in said matrix material to provide a morphology gradient greater than 0.03 nm/μm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The three dimensional article according to claim 1, wherein, said population of nanoparticles is dispersed in said matrix material to provide a morphology gradient greater than 0.03 nm/μm to about 3 nm/μm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The three dimensional article according to claim 2, wherein, said population of nanoparticles is dispersed in said matrix material to provide a morphology gradient greater than 2 nm/μm to about 3 nm/μm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The three dimensional article according to claim 1, wherein said population of nanoparticles are plasmonic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The three dimensional article according to claim 4, wherein said population of nanoparticles comprises nanoparticles that comprise a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium, aluminum and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The three dimensional article according to claim 5, wherein said population of nanoparticles comprises nanoparticles that comprise a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The three dimensional article according to claim 1 said three dimensional article comprising, based on total three dimensional article weight, from about 0.001% to about 0.2% of said nanoparticles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The three dimensional article according to claim 7 said three dimensional article comprising, based on total three dimensional article weight, from about 0.1% to about 0.2% of said nanoparticles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The three dimensional article according to claim 1, wherein said population of nanoparticles has an average nanoparticle volume of from about 1000 nanometer cubed to about 50,000 nanometer cubed of said nanoparticles. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The three dimensional article according to claim 9, wherein said population of nanoparticles has an average nanoparticle volume of from about 8000 nanometer cubed to about 50,000 nanometer cubed of said nanoparticles. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The three dimensional article according to claim 1, wherein said matrix material comprises a thermoplastic, a thermoset, an elastomer and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The three dimensional article according to claim 11, wherein said matrix material is selected from the group consisting of Poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(ethylene oxide), poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(styrene) and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The three dimensional article according to claim 12, wherein said matrix material comprises Poly(vinyl alcohol). ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The three dimensional article according to claim 2, comprising, based on total three dimensional article weight, from about 0.0001% to about 50% of an oxidant, said oxidant comprising a cationic surfactant. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The three dimensional article according to claim 14 comprising, based on total three dimensional article weight, from about 0.01% to about 10% of an oxidant, said oxidant being an ammonium brominated surfactants. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The three dimensional article according to claim 14 comprising, based on total three dimensional article weight, from about 1% to about 5% of an oxidant, said oxidant comprising Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) The three dimensional article according to claim 2 comprising a reductant, selected from the group consisting of reducing agents, sugars, alcohols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes and mixtures thereof.