CPC B22F 3/1017 (2013.01) [B22F 1/107 (2022.01); B22F 10/12 (2021.01); B29C 64/124 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B33Y 70/00 (2014.12); C08K 3/08 (2013.01); C08K 3/22 (2013.01); B29K 2505/00 (2013.01); C08K 2003/0887 (2013.01); C08K 2003/2258 (2013.01)] | 25 Claims |
1. An additive manufacturing method for producing a three-dimensional metal object, comprising:
(a) providing a CAD model of the three-dimensional metal object, dividing the object in layers and the layers in voxels;
(b) applying a first layer of radiation-curable slurry as a layer to be processed onto a target surface, wherein the radiation-curable slurry comprises, based on the weight of the slurry:
(i) 2-45 wt % of a polymerizable resin;
(ii) 0.001-10 wt % of one or more polymerization photoinitiators;
(iii) 55-98 wt % of a mixture of metal-containing compounds, comprising, based on the weight of the mixture:
(A) 5-95 wt % of metal particles; and
(B) 5-95 wt % of one or more metal precursors;
(c) scanning voxels of the first layer of radiation-curable slurry with radiation in accordance with the CAD model to cause polymerization of the polymerizable resin in the radiation-curable slurry to an organic binder;
(d) applying a subsequent layer of the radiation-curable slurry as a layer on top of the first layer;
(e) scanning voxels of the subsequent layer of radiation-curable slurry with radiation in accordance with the CAD model to cause polymerization of the polymerizable resin in the radiation-curable slurry to an organic binder;
(f) repeating steps (d) and (e), wherein each time a subsequent layer is applied onto the previous layer to produce a green body;
(g) removing the organic binder from the green body to obtain a brown body; and
(h) converting any remaining metal precursor in the brown body to the corresponding metal.
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