Thermoplastic polymer filled pastes
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorKhalil M. Moussa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
What is disclosed is a process for making small thermoplastic polymer particles comprising the steps of: (1) dissolving at least one thermoplastic polymer in a solvent, wherein the solids content in the polymer solution is about 0.5% to about 10% by weight; and (2) spray drying the polymer solution to form thermoplastic polymer particles having about 0.5 to about 10 microns average particle size; and a paste composition for use in a solid freeform fabrication process employing the thermoplastic polymer particles.
Claims45
A process for making small thermoplastic polymer particles comprising the steps of:
- (1) dissolving at least one thermoplastic polymer in a solvent, wherein the solids content in the polymer solution is about 0.5% to about 10% by weight;
- and
- (2) spray drying the polymer solution to form thermoplastic polymer particles having about 0.5 to about 10 microns average particle size.
A process for making functionalized small thermoplastic polymer particles comprising the steps of:
- (1) dissolving the thermoplastic polymer in a solvent, wherein the solids content in the polymer solution is about 0.5% to about 10% by weight;
- (2) spray drying the polymer solution to form thermoplastic polymer particles having about 0.5 to about 10 micron average particles;
- and
- (3) reacting the spray dried thermoplastic polymer particles with at least one functional monomer or oligomer to form a functionalized thermoplastic polymer.
A paste composition useful for a solid freeform fabrication procedure;
- comprising
- (a) a solidifiable binding agent comprised of at least one polymerizable resin, with a viscosity of less than 4000 mPa.s, measured at 25° C.;
- (b) at least one initiator, in a concentration greater than 0.1% by mass with respect to the mass of the resin;
- and
- (c) thermoplastic polymer particles having about 0.5 to about 10 microns average particle size, said polymer present in a concentration from about 5 to about 50 by weight of the resin.
The composition according to claim 30, wherein the resin is ditrimethylol propane tetraacrylate resin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.