	US 12,083,593 B2
	3D printed proppants and methods of making and use thereof
Mohammed Ali Ibrahim Sayed, Katy, TX (US); Yanhui Han, Houston, TX (US); Brent Cooper, Missouri City, TX (US); and Rajesh Saini, Cypress, TX (US)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Jul. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/365,521.
Prior Publication US 2023/0001483 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. C09K 8/80 (2006.01); B22F 10/14 (2021.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/165 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)

CPC B22F 10/14 (2021.01) [B28B 1/001 (2013.01); B29C 64/165 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)]

20 Claims

1. A 3D printed proppant comprising:

a core;

support bars extending from the core to a shell; and

the shell encapsulating the core and the support bars, wherein:

the support bars have a length of from 85 micrometers to 200 micrometers,

the core comprises metal, polymer, ceramic, composite, or combinations thereof,

the support bars comprise metal, polymer, ceramic, composite, or combinations thereof,

the shell comprises metal, polymer, ceramic, composite, or combinations thereof, and

the 3D printed proppant has a particle size from 8 mesh to 140 mesh.