The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 09, 2023
Filed:
Jul. 22, 2019
University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (US);
Justin Nussbaum, Knoxville, TN (US);
Nathan Crane, Lutz, FL (US);
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, Tampa, FL (US);
Abstract
The disclosed subject matter relates to method for increasing the molecular weight of a polymer material during an additive manufacturing process. The method can comprise disposing a first layer of the polymer material at a target surface; exposing the first layer of the polymer material to an energy source for a sufficient period of time to sinter or melt and undergo a condensation reaction at least at a portion of the polymer material; controlling the condensation reaction to allow a desired increased number average molecular weight of the polymer material; and repeating the method steps to form an object in a layerwise fashion. Controlling the condensation reaction can comprise controlling and/or adjusting an energy 10 source-related parameter, a polymer-related parameter, a temperature related parameter, a vacuum related parameter, a process duration, a processing gas, an air flow volume and/or speed, or a combination thereof.