US 12,240,167 B2
Amorphous thermoplastic additive manufactured articles and method to make them
Thomas Fry, Victoria, MN (US); and John G. Eue, St. Louis Park, MN (US)
Assigned to LUMAS Polymers LLC, Chaska, MN (US)
Appl. No. 18/564,452
Filed by LUMAS Polymers LLC, Chaska, MN (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 3, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/032173
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 27, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/260952, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 15, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/208,243, filed on Jun. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0254327 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B29C 64/314 (2017.01); B29C 71/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 70/00 (2020.01); C08J 3/00 (2006.01); C08L 33/12 (2006.01); B29K 33/00 (2006.01); B29K 67/00 (2006.01); B29K 77/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 64/153 (2017.08) [B29C 64/314 (2017.08); B29C 71/0063 (2013.01); C08J 3/005 (2013.01); C08L 33/12 (2013.01); B29K 2033/12 (2013.01); B29K 2067/00 (2013.01); B29K 2077/00 (2013.01); B29K 2105/251 (2013.01); B29K 2995/0039 (2013.01); B29K 2995/004 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 70/00 (2014.12); C08J 2333/12 (2013.01); C08J 2467/04 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a semi-crystalline blended polymer comprising:
a. melt blending an amorphous thermoplastic polymer and a thermoplastic semi-crystalline polymer, each of the polymers being essentially miscible in the other, at a weight ratio of the amorphous polymer/semi-crystalline polymer that is greater than 1 to about 20 to form a blended polymer that is essentially amorphous,
b. heat-treating the blended polymer at a crystallizing temperature above the glass transition temperature of the amorphous polymer but below the melt temperature of the semicrystalline polymer for a heat treating time to crystallize the blended polymer sufficiently to realize the semi-crystalline blended polymer, wherein at least portion of the heat treating is performed below, but within 20° C. of the melt temperature of the semi-crystalline polymer and the semicrystalline blended polymer displays a DSC melt peak enthalpy of at least about 3 joules/g, and
c. grinding the semi-crystalline blended polymer to form a powder at a temperature where the semi-crystalline polymer becomes embrittled.