Reversible thermosets for additive manufacturing
AssigneeCarbon, Inc.
InventorsJustin Poelma, Jason P. Rolland, Rick Hubertus Nicolas Curvers, Joseph M. DeSimone
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Abstract
Provided herein is a method of recycling additively manufactured articles or recovered coating material that comprises a crosslinked polymer formed from a single-cure resin comprising a reactive blocked prepolymer, into a regenerated resin useful for additive manufacturing. Recyclable light-polymerizable resins, methods of making recyclable objects from such resins, and methods for sustainable manufacturing are also provided.
Claims20
A light-polymerizable resin produced by the process of:
- (a) providing a preformed article, or recovered coating material, wherein said article or coating material is produced by the process of light polymerizing a single-cure resin in an additive manufacturing or coating process, said single-cure resin comprising or consisting essentially of:
- (i) a reactive blocked prepolymer;
- (ii) optionally polymerized reactive blocking agents;
- (iii) optionally a reactive blocking agent;
- (iv) a photoinitiator;
- (v) optionally a reactive diluent;
- (vi) optionally a light absorber;
- (vii) optionally a solvent;
- (viii) optionally a radical polymerization inhibitor;
- (ix) optionally pigments and/or dyes;
- and
- (x) optionally at least one filler;
- said preformed article or recovered coating material comprised of at least 70, 80 or 90 percent by weight of a crosslinked polymer, said crosslinked polymer consisting essentially of said reactive blocked prepolymer, said reactive diluent when included, and said polymerized reactive blocking agents when included, in light polymerized, cross-linked, thermoset form;
- then
- (b) comminuting said preformed article or recovered coating material into a reactive particulate material;
- and
- (c) combining said reactive particulate material with additional unpolymerized light reactive, and optionally non-reactive, blocking agent, optionally additional unpolymerized UV-curable diluent or solvent, and optionally additional radical polymerization inhibitor, to form a mixture, and heating said mixture for a time sufficient to form a homogeneous solution or suspension comprising a regenerated light reactive, and non-reactive, when present, blocked prepolymer;
- optionally said additional light reactive and/or non-reactive blocking agent;
- optionally said additional solvent;
- optionally said additional radical polymerization inhibitor;
- and
- polymerized light reactive blocking agent, or a copolymer of light reactive blocking agent and UV-curable diluent.
A recyclable light-polymerizable resin useful for additive manufacturing, comprising or consisting essentially of:
- (i) a reactive blocked prepolymer, and optionally a non-reactive blocked prepolymer;
- (ii) polymerized reactive blocking agent, and optionally polymerized reactive diluent copolymerized therewith;
- (iii) optionally, a reactive and/or non-reactive blocking agent;
- (iv) a photoinitiator;
- (v) optionally a reactive diluent;
- (vi) optionally a light absorber;
- (vii) optionally a solvent;
- (viii) optionally pigments and/or dyes;
- (ix) optionally a radical polymerization inhibitor;
- and
- (x) optionally at least one filler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.