Spherical Polyamide Particles for Surface-Smooth Recycle Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polymer particles used in recycle printing for three-dimensional shaped articles, especially with large-scale machines, suffer from surface deterioration and changes in mechanical properties due to prolonged exposure, necessitating the mixing of large amounts of virgin particles to maintain quality.
Innovation Solution
The use of polymer particles with high sphericity, controlled terminal group ratios, and minimal impurities, along with specific molecular weight and surface area characteristics, ensures surface smoothness and mechanical strength are maintained without requiring significant virgin material mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If residual polymer particles are reused for recycle printing, then material waste is reduced and productivity is improved, but the molecular weight increases due to prolonged temperature exposure, changing the properties of the shaped article
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the molecular weight of the polyamide to a specific range (1,000-100,000 g/mol) and adjusting the terminal group ratio (carboxyl to amino groups) to 0.01-0.8. These parameter specifications prevent excessive molecular weight increase during recycle printing while maintaining material stability and shaped article properties.
2Reliability
If a large amount of virgin polymer particles is mixed with residual particles to maintain quality, then the properties of the shaped article are maintained, but material waste increases and the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By specifying precise parameter ranges for molecular weight (1,000-100,000 g/mol) and terminal group ratio (0.01-0.8), the patent enables direct reuse of residual particles without requiring large amounts of virgin material mixing, thus maintaining quality while reducing material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent treats residual polymer particles not as waste but as reusable materials with controlled properties. By managing their molecular weight and terminal groups within specified ranges, the system extends their usable life for multiple printing cycles without degrading quality.
3Ease of manufacture
If polymer particles with indefinite shape are used, then production is simpler, but the particle surface deteriorates during printing, changing the properties of the shaped article
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that polymer particles should have a sphericity of 80 or more, indicating a preference for spherical shapes. This sphericity requirement prevents surface deterioration during printing while maintaining ease of production through controlled polymerization processes that yield spherical particles.
4Productivity
If recycle printing is performed on large-scale printing machines with long printing time, then production capacity is increased, but the surface smoothness and mechanical strength of the shaped article deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges including molecular weight (1,000-100,000 g/mol), terminal group ratio (0.01-0.8), and sphericity (80 or more) to prevent surface deterioration and maintain mechanical strength even during long printing cycles on large-scale machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary control of particle properties (molecular weight, terminal groups, sphericity) before printing to ensure they remain stable throughout the extended printing process, preventing surface and mechanical property deterioration during high-capacity production.
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 effective recycle printing with large-scale machines by preserving the surface smoothness and mechanical strength of the shaped articles, facilitating easy recovery and reducing waste.
Implementation Method 1
the residual particles are exposed to a temperature slightly lower than the melting point for a long time during printing, which increases the molecular weight of the polymer
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention provides polymer particles for producing a three-dimensional shaped article by powder bed fusion method, the polymer particles being constituted of polyamides, wherein: the sphericity is 80 or more; the average particle diameter is 1 µm or more and 100 µm or less; the ratio of the terminal carboxyl group amount to the terminal amino group amount in the polyamides constituting the polymer particles is 0.01 or more and 0.8 or less; and the terminal adjuster content is more than 0 wt% and 0.2 wt% or less. When the polymer particles in which the ratio of the terminal carboxyl group amount to the terminal amino group amount in polyamides small and that contain little impurities are used for recycle printing a three-dimensional shaped article with a large-scale printing machine, it is possible to maintain the surface smoothness and the mechanical strength of the shaped article without mixing a large amount of virgin polymer particles, and further, it is possible to easily recover residual particles.