Water dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer for use in additive manufacturing

A soluble material configured as a consumable feedstock for use as a support material in the additive manufacture of a part comprising:

• a water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer produced from a reaction product a monomer A and a monomer B forming a primary carbon chain that comprises an initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer, with monomer A containing pendant functional groups extending from the primary carbon chain and comprising acid groups or anhydride groups;
• and wherein the non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer comprises at least 18 mol % pendant functional groups, and wherein an alkali metal sulfonate salt is reacted onto some or all of the pendant functional groups to produce the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer by one of the following reactions:
• esterifying the acid groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with a hydroxyl-functionalized sulfonate salt, amidizing the acid groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with an amine sulfonate salt, or imidizing the anhydride groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with an amine sulfonate salt;
• and
• wherein the pendant groups in the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer is at least 18 mol % but not more than 40 mol %, and the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer has a glass transition temperature of at least 45 C and is configured to be extruded or to be deposited by electrophotography and being dispersible in tap water.

A soluble material configured as a consumable feedstock for use as a support material in an electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system, the soluble material comprising:

• a water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer provided as a toner powder consumable feedstock that is configured to be deposited in a layer-wise manner proximate a layer of the thermoplastic build material used to print the part, the water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer produced from a reaction product of a monomer A and a monomer B forming a primary carbon chain, with monomer A containing pendant functional groups extending from the primary carbon chain and comprising acid groups or anhydride groups;
• and wherein the reaction product comprises at least 18 mol % pendant functional groups, and wherein an alkali metal sulfonate salt is reacted onto some or all of the pendant functional groups of the reaction to produce at least 18 mol % sulfonated pendant groups to produce the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer by one of the following reactions:
• esterifying the acid groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with a hydroxyl-functionalized sulfonate salt, amidizing the acid groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with an amine sulfonate salt, or imidizing the anhydride groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with an amine sulfonate salt;
• wherein the sulfonated pendant groups in the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer is at least 18 mol % but not more than 40 mol %, and the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer has a glass transition temperature of at least 45° C., is melt-extrudable;
• and
• wherein the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer is separable from the part by subjecting the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer to ambient temperature water without the aid of any other solubility or dispersibility adjuvant.

A soluble material configured as a consumable feedstock for use as a support material in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the soluble material comprising:

• a water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer provided as the consumable feedstock that is configured to be extruded in a layer-wise manner, the water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer produced from a reaction product of a monomer A and a monomer B forming a primary carbon chain, with monomer A containing pendant functional groups extending from the primary carbon chain and comprising acid groups or anhydride groups;
• and wherein the reaction product comprises at least 18 mol % pendant functional groups, and wherein an alkali metal sulfonate salt is reacted onto some or all of the pendant functional groups of the reaction to produce at least 18 mol % sulfonated pendant groups to produce the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer by one of the following reactions:
• esterifying the acid groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with a hydroxyl-functionalized sulfonate salt, amidizing the acid groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with an amine sulfonate salt, or imidizing the anhydride groups of the initial non-water-dispersible thermoplastic copolymer with an amine sulfonate salt;
• wherein the sulfonated pendant groups in the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer is at least 18 mol % but not more than 40 mol %, and the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer has a glass transition temperature of at least 45° C., is melt-extrudable;
• and
• separating the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer from the part by subjecting the water-dispersible sulfonated thermoplastic copolymer to ambient temperature water without the aid of any other solubility or dispersibility adjuvant.