Sabic Global Technologies B.v.

Shpp Global Technologies B.v.

Hao Gu

Theodorus L Hoeks

Jan Henk Kamps

Bruke Jofore

Vandita Pai-Paranjape

Elena Miloskovska

Raul Fernandez Cabello

Viswanathan Kalyanaraman

Zahir Bashir

Chiel Albertus Leenders

Johannes Martinus Dina Goossens

Josephus Gerardus M Van Gisbergen

Thomas Hocker

Brian Gray Price

Johannes Gerardus Petrus Goossens

Hyemin Park

Lanti Yang

Richard Schouwenaar

Atsushi Ebisawa

Norio Ozawa

Samuel Ijsselmuiden

Bruke Daniel Jofore

Zahir Basheer

Theodorus Lambertus Hoeks

Dirk Noordegraaf

Jan Willem Heuseveldt

Paul Fernandez Cabello

The present invention relates to a process for moulding a polymeric object, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substantially flat horizontally positioned layer of a material, the layer being a film or sheet; (b) providing a layer of a thermoplastic powder onto the layer provided under (a); (c) subjecting a pre-defined part of the thermoplastic powder to irradiation to heat the pre-defined part of the thermoplastic powder to a temperature at which the thermoplastic fuses or sinters onto at least a part of the flat layer of material; (d) terminating the exposure to irradiation; (e) providing a further layer of the thermoplastic powder onto the layer provided under (b); (f) subjecting a pre-defined part of the thermoplastic powder of the layer provided under (e) to irradiation to heat the pre-defined part of the thermoplastic powder to a temperature at which the thermoplastic fuses or sinters onto at least a part of the flat layer of the material fused under (c); (g) terminating the exposure to irradiation; (h) repeating steps (e)-(g) for as many cycles as required to complete the shape of the desired polymeric object; (i) removing the fraction of thermoplastic powder that has not been fused or sintered; and (j) optionally removing the substantially flat layer as provided under (a) from the polymeric object; wherein the surface area of the substantially flat layer of material is at least 200% of the surface area of that layer produced under steps (c)-(h) having the largest surface area. Such process allows for the production of small series or uniquely designed objects at low energy consumption wherein the objects exhibit high dimensional stability.

Process for shaping a polymeric object

A polymer composition for the production of shaped objects via selective sintering includes &#x2265;70.0 wt % of poly(ethylene terephthalate), wherein &#x2265;25.0 wt % and &#x2264;90.0 wt % of the poly(ethylene terephthalate has resulted from a selective sintering process as unsintered material. The polymer composition is a powder having a Dof &#x2265;10 and &#x2264;40 &#x3bc;m, a Dof &#x2265;75 and &#x2264;100 &#x3bc;m, and a Dof &#x2265;160 and &#x2264;200 &#x3bc;m. The polymer composition allows for the production of an article having a continuous use temperature of &#x2265;100&#xb0; C., and results in a low change of molecular weight during exposure to selective sintering powder processing temperatures. Further, the polymer composition allows for a significant reduction of the waste material generated during selective sintering as the unsintered material does not have to be disposed of as waste but may be used again.

Polymer composition for selective sintering

A particulate material for powder bed fusion has specific particle size characteristics and includes a thermoplastic and a sulfonate salt having the structure (A), wherein Z is a phosphorus atom or a nitrogen atom; each occurrence of X is independently halogen or hydrogen provided that at least one X is halogen; b, d, and e are integers from zero to 12; c is 0 or 1 provided that when c is 1, d and e are not both zero; Rare each independently C-Chydrocarbyl; Ris C-Chydrocarbyl; and Y is selected from (B)&#x2014;wherein Ris hydrogen or C-Chydrocarbyl. Also described is a method of powder bed fusion utilizing the particulate material.

Powder bed fusion material and method

Provided are compositions including a population of particulates that comprise an at least partially crystalline polycarbonate having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 1 to about 200 &#x3bc;m, and have a weight-average molecular weight, per polystyrene standards, of from about 17,000 to about 40,000 Daltons. The composition exhibits a zero-shear viscosity of less than about 10Pa&#xb7;s at the melting temperature of the partially crystalline polycarbonate. Related systems and methods for utilizing these compositions in additive manufacturing applications, including selective laser sintering (SLS) applications, are also disclosed. Also provided are additively-manufactured articles made with the disclosed compositions and according to the disclosed methods.

Crystalline polycarbonate powders for powder bed fusion in additive manufacturing

Provided are amorphous and at least partially crystalline polyetherimide compositions having a comparatively narrow particle size distribution and are particularly suited for additive manufacturing processes. The compositions comprise a population of polyetherimide particulates are characterized as having a zero-shear viscosity sufficiently low so as to achieve a coalescence of at least 0.5, and preferably of about 1.0, as characterized by the Frenkel model at a temperature less than 450&#xb0; C.

Polyetherimide powders for additive manufacturing

Provided are compositions comprising partially crystalline polycarbonate particulate having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 1 &#x3bc;&#x3b9;&#x3b7; to about 200 &#x3bc;&#x3b9;&#x3c4;&#x3b9;, having from about 10% crystallinity to about 50% crystallinity, and having a weight-average molecular weight, per polystyrene standards, of from about 17,000 to about 40,000 Daltons. The composition exhibits a zero-shear viscosity of less than about 104 Pa s at the melting temperature of the partially crystalline polycarbonate. Related systems and methods for utilizing these compositions in additive manufacturing applications, including selective laser sintering (SLS) applications, are also disclosed. Also provided are additively-manufactured articles made with the disclosed compositions and according to the disclosed methods.

Provided are thermoplastic-nanoparticle compositions that exhibit enhanced powder and melt flow. The disclosed compositions, comprising nanoparticles being silylated, have particular application in additive manufacturing processes, such as selective laser sintering and other processes.

Enhanced powder flow and melt flow of polymers for additive manufacturing applications

A polymer powder composition for production of shaped objects via selective laser sintering includes a thermoplastic material, which is a polyester, wherein the powder has specific particles size distribution. The thermoplastic material has: has a crystallization half time of &#x3e;30 s and &#x3c;12 min at a supercooling of 50&#xb0; C. below the peak melt temperature; a glass transition temperature Tg of &#x3e;50&#xb0; C.; a peak melt temperature Tp,m of &#x3e;200&#xb0; C.; an extrapolated first heating run melt onset temperature T ei,m of &#x3e;5&#xb0; C. above the extrapolated first cooling run crystallization end temperature Tef,c; and a degree of crystallinity of &#x3e;10.0%. The polymer composition has a continuous use temperature of &#x3e;100&#xb0; C., and a low change of molecular weight during exposure to selective laser sintering processing temperatures.

Various embodiments relate to plastic-metal junctions and methods of making the same via laser-assisted joining. The present invention provides a method of forming a junction between a metal form and a solid plastic. The method can include laser treating a surface of a metal form to generate a feature (e.g., a plurality of at least one of pores and grooves) in the surface of the metal, wherein the laser has an angle of incidence with the surface of the metal of other than 0 degrees. The method can include contacting the metal surface including the feature with a flowable resin composition. The method can include curing the flowable resin composition to form the solid plastic, to provide the junction between the metal form and the solid plastic.

Methods of making plastic-metal junctions via laser

A method of making an article includes converting a first amorphous polymer to an at least partially crystalline polymeric powder composition and powder bed fusing the at least partially crystalline polymer powder composition to form a three-dimensional article including a second amorphous polymer.

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