In Situ Polymer Modification via Reactive Agent Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional manufacturing processes, including injection molding and CNC techniques, limit the ability to alter the chemical structure of materials in situ, while additive manufacturing offers design flexibility but often results in varying final part properties.
Innovation Solution
An additive manufacturing system that includes a deposition nozzle and a source for delivering a reactive agent, such as a chemical or energy, to modify the chemical structure of polymers within the build material, achieving modifications up to 300 nanometers or more in depth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional manufacturing processes (injection molding, CNC) are used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but the ability to alter material chemical structure in situ is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The reactive agent is introduced into the deposition chamber before and during the deposition process, allowing chemical modification to occur in situ as the material is being formed. This preliminary and concurrent action enables the reactive agent to modify the polymer chains during layer formation, achieving in situ chemical structure alteration without requiring separate post-processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
A reactive agent serves as an intermediary substance that facilitates chemical modification of the build material. The reactive agent interacts with the polymer material during deposition, enabling controlled chemical changes in the material structure without directly altering the manufacturing equipment or process parameters themselves.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additive manufacturing layer-by-layer fabrication is used, then design flexibility is improved, but final part properties differ significantly from traditional bulk manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The reactive agent modification is applied locally to the build material during deposition, creating chemically modified regions within the layers. This local chemical modification allows different regions of the part to have enhanced properties while maintaining the design flexibility inherent in additive manufacturing's layer-by-layer fabrication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The introduction of the reactive agent changes the chemical parameters of the build material during the deposition process. By modifying the chemical structure of the polymer material in situ, the process achieves both the design flexibility of additive manufacturing and improved final part properties through controlled chemical transformation.
3Quantity of substance
If surface modification techniques are applied to additive manufactured parts, then a larger percentage of the part can be modified, but chemical modification through the depth of deposited materials is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The reactive agent is introduced into the deposition chamber before and during the deposition process, allowing chemical modification to occur in situ as the material is being formed. This preliminary and concurrent action enables the reactive agent to modify the polymer chains during layer formation, achieving in situ chemical structure alteration without requiring separate post-processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical surface modification techniques with a chemical approach. Instead of physically modifying the surface, a reactive agent is introduced that chemically modifies the polymer material from the surface inward, achieving penetration through the depth of deposited materials via chemical reactions rather than mechanical means.
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 allows for improved manufacturing processes and final part performance characteristics by altering the chemical structure of build materials with increased depth penetration, enhancing properties such as mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and thermal resistance.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the first layer with a reactive agent in the atmosphere. Upon the contact, the reactive agent causes a modification in the chemical structure of a polymer of the build material
Implementation Method 2
The deposition takes place in an atmosphere that includes an increased pressure... the reactive agent causes a modification in the chemical structure of a polymer of the build material. The modification is carried out at and beneath the surface of the first layer to a depth of about 300 nanometers (nm) or more of the layer
Data Source
AI summary
Additive manufacturing methods and systems are disclosed for chemical modification of a build material through at least 300 nm of the depth of each deposited layer. The depth of penetration of chemical modification is brought about through formation parameters including increased pressure, decreased humidity, formation temperatures, etc. Formed build product properties are improved as compared to those formed by traditional bulk manufacturing methods as well as to those formed by previously known additive manufacturing methods.