Ultraviolet fusing agents for colorless three dimensional printed parts
In example implementations, a three-dimensional printing kit for printing a colorless three-dimensional object in a three-dimensional printing system is provided. The three-dimensional printing kit includes a build material and an ultraviolet (UV) fusing agent. The UV fusing agent includes water, a UV light absorber, about 10-50 weight percent (wt %) of a first solvent to provide a polymer plasticizer, and about 30-50 wt % a second solvent that is water miscible and dissolves the UV light absorber.
1 . A three-dimensional printing kit, comprising:
a build material; and
an ultraviolet (UV) fusing agent, comprising:
water;
a UV light absorber that is a substituted cresol;
10-50 weight percent (wt %) of a first solvent that is a plasticizing solvent; and
30-50 wt % of a second solvent that is water miscible and dissolves the UV light absorber.
2 . The three-dimensional printing kit of claim 1 , wherein the first solvent and the second solvent are the same.
3 . The three-dimensional printing kit of claim 1 , wherein both of the first and second solvents are diethylene glycol (DEG) butyl ether.
4 . The three-dimensional printing kit of claim 1 , wherein the first solvent is benzyl alcohol.
5 . The three-dimensional printing kit of claim 1 , wherein the second solvent is selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol (DEG) butyl ether, 1,2-hexanediol, hydroxyethyl-2-pyrrolidone (HE2P), propylene glycol, and 1,5-pentane diol.
6 . The three-dimensional printing kit of claim 1 , wherein the UV fusing agent comprises 0.3 to 5 weight percent of the UV light absorber.
7 . The three-dimensional printing kit of claim 1 , wherein the UV light absorber is 2-(2H-benzotrizol-2-yl)-6-dodecyl-4methyl-phenol.
8 . The three-dimensional printing kit of claim 1 , wherein the UV fusing agent further comprises:
a surfactant; and
a solubilizer.
9 . A three-dimensional printing system, comprising:
a powder bed comprising a layer of build material;
a fusing agent applicator fluidly coupled to a supply of an ultraviolet (UV) fusing agent, wherein the fusing agent applicator is to iteratively apply the UV fusing agent to the layer of build material, wherein the UV fusing agent comprises water, a UV light absorber that is a substituted cresol, 10-50 weight percent (wt %) of a first solvent that is a plasticizing solvent, and 30-50 wt % of a second solvent that is water miscible and dissolves the UV light absorber; and
a fusing lamp positioned to emit UV light to heat a portion of the powder bed that received the UV fusing agent to a fusing temperature.
10 . The three-dimensional printing system of claim 9 , wherein the UV light has a wavelength ranging from 320 nanometers (nm) to 400 nm.
11 . The three-dimensional printing system of claim 9 , wherein the UV light absorber is 2-(2H-benzotrizol-2-yl)-6-dodecyl-4methyl-phenol.
12 . The three-dimensional printing system of claim 9 , wherein the substituted cresol is present in an amount ranging from 0.3 to 5 weight percent of the UV fusing agent.
13 . A method of printing a colorless three-dimensional object, the method comprising:
selectively applying an ultraviolet (UV) fusing agent onto a build material, wherein the UV fusing agent comprises water, a UV light absorber that is a substituted cresol, 10-50 weight percent (wt %) of a first solvent that is a plasticizing solvent, and 30-50 wt % of a second solvent that is water miscible and dissolves the UV light absorber; and
heating the build material and the UV fusing agent that is selectively applied with a UV light to fuse a layer of the colorless three-dimensional object.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the build material comprises a polymer, and wherein the first solvent in the UV fusing agent reduces a melting temperature of the polymer.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the UV light absorber is 2-(2H-benzotrizol-2-yl)-6-dodecyl-4methyl-phenol, the first solvent is benzyl alcohol, and the second solvent is diethylene glycol (DEG) butyl ether.