US 12,358,215 B2
Binders and methods of binder jetting including branched polymer binders and articles made therefrom
Christopher B. Williams, Blacksburg, VA (US); Emily M. Wilts, Blacksburg, VA (US); Timothy E. Long, Blacksburg, VA (US); and Da Ma, Blacksburg, VA (US)
Assigned to VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC., Blacksburg, VA (US)
Appl. No. 17/442,811
Filed by VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC., Blacksburg, VA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 25, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/024786
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 24, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/198400, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 1, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/823,486, filed on Mar. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0088855 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B22F 1/052 (2022.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B29C 64/165 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 70/00 (2020.01)
CPC B29C 64/165 (2017.08) [B22F 1/052 (2022.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 70/00 (2014.12)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of binder jetting of a 3D-printed article in a layer-by-layer fashion, the method comprising:
a) providing a first layer of powder;
b) ink-jet depositing a binder onto the first layer of the powder in a pattern that corresponds to a first layer of the article, wherein the binder comprises a branched-chain polymer and a solvent;
c) providing a subsequent layer of powder onto either the first layer of powder or a previous layer of powder;
d) ink-jet depositing the binder onto the subsequent layer of powder in a pattern that corresponds to a subsequent layer of the article;
e) repeating steps (c) and (d) to form the article layer-by-layer by forming each subsequent layer of the article on a previous layer of the article;
wherein the concentration of the branched-chain polymer in the binder is above a maximum printable concentration of the otherwise same binder and under the otherwise same conditions except replacing the branched-chain polymer with a linear-chain polymer of the same repeat units and having the same Mn.