Pigmented Polymer Particles for Uniform 3D Printing Color
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermoplastic polymers often struggle with homogeneous mixing of pigments, especially in applications like 3-D printing, where uniform coloration and structural integrity are crucial.
Innovation Solution
The development of pigmented polymer particles with a melt-emulsified morphology, achieved by mixing thermoplastic polymer, carrier fluid, and pigment at high shear rates above the polymer's melting point, followed by cooling to form particles with pigment coatings, embeddings, or encapsulations, enhancing pigment-polymer integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If pigments are mixed into thermoplastic polymers using conventional methods, then the polymers can be processed, but homogeneous dispersion of pigments is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pigment-polymer system into discrete pigmented polymer particles where each particle contains pigment dispersed within a polymer matrix. This segmentation allows each particle to be pre-formed with homogeneous pigment distribution, which then simplifies the overall mixing process for bulk polymer processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary pigment dispersion by pre-forming pigmented polymer particles before the main polymer processing step. This preliminary action of creating uniformly pigmented particles eliminates the need for difficult bulk mixing operations, as the pigment is already homogeneously distributed within each particle.
2Manufacturing precision
If pigmented polymer particles are used in 3-D printing, then visual identification properties are achieved, but homogeneous incorporation of pigments is especially important and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses segmented pigmented polymer particles as feedstock for 3-D printing. Each particle is a self-contained unit with homogeneous pigment distribution, ensuring that when particles are deposited and fused during 3-D printing, the resulting object maintains uniform color and visual properties without requiring complex pigment incorporation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the physical and chemical parameters of pigmented polymer particle formation (such as particle size, polymer matrix composition, and pigment concentration) to optimize both the visual identification properties and the ease of incorporation during 3-D printing, thereby achieving color uniformity without increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If thermoplastic polymers are used in demanding applications, then temperature resistance is achieved, but the polymers are off-white colored and lack visible identifiers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functional requirements of temperature resistance (provided by the thermoplastic polymer) with the aesthetic requirement of coloration and visual identification (provided by pigments) by creating integrated pigmented polymer particles. This combination allows the material to maintain its thermal performance while acquiring visible identifiers for application-specific identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite pigmented polymer particles consisting of a thermoplastic polymer matrix combined with pigment dispersants or coating agents. This composite structure maintains the temperature resistance of the thermoplastic polymer while adding coloration and visual identification capabilities through the pigment component.
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 method results in improved pigment dispersion, ensuring consistent color and structural integrity in 3-D printed objects, suitable for additive manufacturing and authentication.
Implementation Method 1
mixing a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a carrier fluid that is immiscible with the thermoplastic polymer, and a pigment at a temperature greater than a melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer and at a shear rate sufficiently high to disperse the thermoplastic polymer in the carrier fluid
Implementation Method 2
at a shear rate sufficiently high to disperse the thermoplastic polymer in the carrier fluid
Implementation Method 3
cooling the mixture to below the melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer to form pigmented polymer particles comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a pigment having a melt-emulsified morphology
Data Source
AI summary
Pigmented polymer particles may comprise a thermoplastic polymer and a pigment, wherein at least some of the pigmented polymer particles have a morphology according to (a), (b), (c), or any combination thereof: (a) the pigment having a coating comprising the thermoplastic polymer and the coated pigment adhered to a thermoplastic polymer particle, (b) the pigment being embedded in an outer surface of the thermoplastic polymer particle, and (c) the pigment being encapsulated by the thermoplastic polymer particle. The pigmented polymer particles, especially the highly spherical pigmented polymer particles, may be useful, among other things, as starting material for additive manufacturing. For example, a method may comprise: depositing, upon a surface, the foregoing pigmented polymer particles optionally in combination with other thermoplastic polymer particles; and once deposited, heating at least a portion of the particles to promote consolidation thereof and form a consolidated body.