Water-Soluble PEO Graft Copolymer Sacrificial Support for 3D Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for creating three-dimensional prototypes and models are time-consuming and costly, often requiring multiple iterations and are limited by the types of materials that can be processed, especially in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical applications.
Innovation Solution
The use of water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composites, specifically those with a polyethylene oxide graft polymer backbone and nanoscopic particulate processing aids, which can be formulated into filaments, powders, or pellets for various 3D printing techniques, allowing for the creation of sacrificial support materials that can be easily removed, enabling more efficient and versatile prototype production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional sculpting or molding methods are used to create prototypes, then the prototype can be produced with acceptable quality, but the process is time-consuming and costly requiring multiple iterations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by using water-soluble thermoplastic polymers with specific viscosity ranges (100-10,000 Pa-sec at shear rates of 1×10^1 to 1×10^4 reciprocal seconds) and controlled molecular weights (10^5 to 10^7 g/mol). These parameter optimizations enable the material to be extruded at reasonable speeds while maintaining prototype quality, resolving the contradiction between production time and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of water-soluble thermoplastic polymers combined with nanoscopic particulate processing aids (0.05-10% by weight) and optionally structural reinforcement materials (0.1-20% by weight) and plasticizers (0.1-15% by weight). This composite formulation improves both printability and prototype quality while reducing iteration requirements, thereby addressing both time and quality concerns
2Ease of manufacture
If free-forming methods with waxes or thermosets are used, then the production cost is reduced and process is simplified, but the material selection is restricted and prototype quality is not optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal material system based on water-soluble thermoplastic polymers that can be adapted for various 3D printing techniques (extrusion, inkjet, stereolithography, selective laser sintering). The material maintains good printability across different methods and can incorporate various additives for different applications, achieving both ease of manufacture and material versatility
Solution Approach 2:
By adjusting polymer molecular weight (10^5 to 10^7 g/mol), viscosity (100-10,000 Pa-sec), and additive concentrations, the patent optimizes the material for different printing techniques and applications. This parameter control enables the same base material to serve multiple functions across different manufacturing contexts, resolving the contradiction between process simplicity and material versatility
3Adaptability or versatility
If support materials are used in 3D printing to enable complex geometries, then the design freedom is improved, but the removal of support material becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses water-soluble thermoplastic polymers where the water solubility parameter enables easy support removal. The polymer dissolves in water at concentrations of 10-40% by weight, allowing support structures to be removed simply by washing with water, thus maintaining design freedom while dramatically simplifying support removal compared to traditional support materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical support removal methods (manual breaking, cutting, or drilling) with a chemical dissolution process. The water-soluble polymer supports dissolve automatically when exposed to water, eliminating the need for mechanical intervention and significantly reducing post-processing time and complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the rapid and cost-effective creation of three-dimensional articles with improved material versatility, facilitating applications in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical fields by providing a sacrificial support system that can be easily dissolved, reducing production time and waste.
Implementation Method 1
water-soluble thermoplastic polyethylene oxide graft polymer... Water-soluble refers to at least one of a composite, composition, substance, and material that is soluble in that it melts, liquefies, dissolves, disintegrates, falls apart, or solubilizes when brought into contact with an aqueous fluid
Implementation Method 2
thermoplastic polymer composite... has a viscosity in the range of about 100 to about 10,000 Pa-sec. when measured at a shear rate in the range of about 1×10^1 to about 1×10^4 reciprocal seconds
Data Source
AI summary
A method for preparing a sacrificial support material for use in printing a three-dimensional (3D) article includes providing a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite including a water-soluble thermoplastic polyethylene oxide graft polymer having a polyethylene oxide polymer backbone, and from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the polyethylene oxide polymer backbone of at least one polar vinyl monomer grafted to the polyethylene oxide polymer backbone. One or more nanoscopic particulate processing aids may be uniformly dispersed in the graft polymer in an amount of from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite. The water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite may have a viscosity in the range of about 100 to about 10,000 Pa-sec. The method may also include forming the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer composite into the 3D printable sacrificial support material.