Polymers as support material for use in fused filament fabrication

A process fbr producing a three-dimensional object, the process comprising the steps:

• i) depositing a support material into a build chamber with a layer-based additive technique to form a support structure;
• ii) depositing a modeling material into the build chamber with the layer-based additive technique to form the three-dimensional object, wherein the three-dimensional object comprises at least one region supported by the support structure;
• and
• iii) removing the support structure from the three-dimensional object with an aqueous solution,
• wherein the support material comprises a polymer comprising polymerized units (A) and (B):
• (A) at least one first monomer of formula (I):
• where
• n is 3 to 12;
• m is 0 to 3;
• R1 is C1-C10-alkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl;
• R2, R3 and R4 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C1-C10-alkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl;
• and
• (B) at least one second monomer of formula (II)
• where
• R5, R6 and R7 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C1-C10-alkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl;
• R8 is C1-C20-alkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl.

A fused filament fabrication process, the process comprising:

• modelling a structure around a support material comprising a polymer,
• wherein the polymer comprises polymerized units (A) and (B):
• (A) at least one first monomer of formula (I):
• where
• n is 3 to 12;
• m is 0 to 3;
• R1 is C1-C10-alkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl;
• R2, R3 and R4 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C1-C10-alkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl;
• and
• (B) at least one second monomer of formula (II)
• where
• R5, R6 and R7 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C1-C10-alkyl, C2C10-alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl;
• and
• R8 is C1-C20-alkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, aryl or aralkyl.