University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated

Bing Ren

Yong Huang

Marc Sole Gras

A polymer three-dimensional (3D) printing methodology is disclosed for freeform fabrication of polymeric structures under ambient conditions without the use of printed support structures, without use of a support bath, and the like. The build material can be dissolved in a suitable solvent for 3D printing. The polymer solution can be printed (e.g., continuously printed using a moving dispensing nozzle) in air without the use of supports (e.g., without the use of a support bath, a concurrently printed support posts, or the like) while a nebulized coagulation agent is dispersed alongside the printed polymer solution to at least partially coagulate the polymer solution and form an intermediate article. The self-supporting intermediate article may then be immersed in a post-printing coagulation solution to remove some or all of the remaining solvent, causing the build material to fully solidify to form a finished article from the intermediate article.

Methods and apparatuses for solvent-assisted polymer direct printing in air

A three-dimensional (3D) printing method and apparatus are disclosed for freeform fabrication of metal articles. 3D printed articles are formed from a build material comprising metal powder(s), polymer(s), and solvent(s). A coagulation agent, such as a nebulized non-solvent, is disposed onto/about the build material during 3D printing to cause at least partial solidification of the build material to form a green body structure. Multiple build materials can be mixed at a variable ratio to achieve a composition gradient through the green body structure. The 3D printed green body structure can be heated to remove some or all of the polymer, solvent, and/or for debinding. The debinded green body structure can be sintered at a specific sintering temperature or over a temperature gradient, for a period of time, in accordance with the sintering properties of the particular metal powder in the debinded green body structure, to form a finished metal part.

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Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Bing Ren