Three-dimensional printing with microbe-inhibiting agents

A method of making a three-dimensional printed object having anti-microbial properties comprising:

• iteratively applying individual particulate build material layers to a powder bed, wherein the particulate build material includes polymer particles;
• based on a three-dimensional object model, selectively applying a fusing agent onto the individual particulate build material layers, wherein the fusing agent includes water and an electromagnetic radiation absorber;
• based on the three-dimensional object model, selectively applying a metal-containing microbe-inhibiting material onto the individual build material layers in a sufficient amount to form an area having inhibited microbe growth;
• and
• exposing the powder bed to energy to selectively fuse the polymer particles in contact with the electromagnetic radiation absorber to form a fused polymer matrix at individual build material layers.

A three-dimensional printing system comprising:

• a particulate build material comprising polymer particles;
• a fusing agent applicator fluidly coupled or coupleable to a fusing agent, wherein the fusing agent applicator is directable to iteratively apply the fusing agent to layers of the particulate build material, wherein the fusing agent includes water and an electromagnetic radiation absorber, wherein the electromagnetic radiation absorber absorbs radiation and converts the radiation energy to heat;
• a microbe-inhibiting agent applicator fluidly coupled or coupleable to a microbe-inhibiting agent, wherein the microbe-inhibiting agent applicator is directable to iteratively apply the microbe-inhibiting agent to layers of the particulate build material, wherein the microbe-inhibiting agent includes a metal-containing microbe-inhibiting material;
• a radiant energy source positioned to expose the layers of powder bed material to radiation energy to selectively fuse the particulate build material in contact with the electromagnetic radiation absorber and thereby form a three-dimensional printed object;
• and
• a hardware controller in communication with the microbe-inhibiting agent applicator and programmed to direct the microbe-inhibiting agent applicator to apply the microbe-inhibiting agent onto the particulate build material in a sufficient amount to form an area having inhibited microbe growth.