Ems Inventa Ag

3D Systems, Inc.

Jurgen Spindler

Eberhard Kinkelin

Gerhard Poessnecker

Paul Stenson

Raffaele Martinoni

Paul Boehler

Powder compositions and articles and methods of forming articles from powder compositions are provided. The powder compositions include at least one powder that preferably includes an amount of one or more branched polymers such as, for example, one or more branched polyamide polymers. The powder composition is preferably capable of being formed, via a layer-by-layer sintering process such as, for example, selective laser sintering, into a three-dimensional article.

Powder compositions and methods of manufacturing articles therefrom

The invention relates to novel hot-melt masses consisting of a statistically built-up copolyether ester based on terephthalic acid and a mixture of aliphatic diols. Terephthalic acid is used as the single acid component and its molar amount, relative to the total amount of acid, is 100 molar %. A combination of butane diol, diethylene glycol, polyethylene and optionally triethylene glycol is present as diol component. The molar amount of butane diol is less than 75 molar %, the amount of diethylene glycol is between 5 and 60 molar %, the amount of triethylene glycol between 0 and 40 molar % and at least 2 and at the most 10 molar % of a higher-molecular polyethylene glycol component with a molar mass of 600-4000 g/mole is used, relative to the total acid amount and total diol amount of 100 molar % in each instance. The melting point of the copolyether ester adhesive masses is between 90.degree. and 190.degree. C. The copolyetherester hot-melt masses can be used in the hot-melt method and for the known other powder coating methods.

Copolyether ester hot-melt masses

The invention relates to novel hot-melt masses consisting of a statistically built-up copolyether ester based on terephthalic acid in a mixture of aliphatic diols. Terephthalic acid is used as the single acid component and its molar amount, relative to the total amount of acid, is 100 molar %. A combination of butane diol, triethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol is present as diol component. The molar amount of butane diol is less than 80 molar %, the amount of triethylene glycol is between 15 and 60 molar % and at least 2 and at the most 10 molar % of a higher-molecular polyethylene glycol component with a molar mass of 600-4000 g/mole is used, relative to the total acid amount and total diol amount of 100 molar % in each instance. The melting point of the copolyether ester adhesive masses is between 90.degree. and 180.degree. C. The copolyetherester hot-melt masses can be used in the hot-melt method and for other known powder coating methods.

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Domat/Ems, Switzerland

Jurgen Spindler