US 12,180,343 B2 · Thermoplastic polymers and method to make them

Abstract

Polymer powders useful for additive manufacturing may be made by contacting carbon dioxide and a crystallizable polymer having at least one carbonyl, sulfur oxide or sulfone group; permeating the carbon dioxide into the polymer for a crystallizing time sufficient to induce crystallization forming an induced crystalized polymer; removing the carbon dioxide; and forming induced crystalized polymer particles having a D90 particle size of at most 300 micrometers and average particle size of 1 micrometer to 100 micrometers equivalent spherical diameter. The carbon dioxide is desirably supercritical carbon dioxide for at least a portion of the crystallizing time. The polymer powders upon heating during additive manufacturing may result in a polymer having less crystallinity or become amorphous.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A polymer comprised of a semi-crystalline polymer having:

(i) an undetectable amount of a volatile organic compound, (ii) at least one carbonyl, sulfur oxide or sulfone group, wherein, upon heating the semi-crystalline polymer above its melt temperature it forms an amorphous polymer upon cooling below its glass transition temperature, wherein the semi-crystalline polymer has an amount of crystallinity of at least 10% by volume.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermoplastic polymers and method to make them

Life of this patent

Thermoplastic polymers and method to make them

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18