Compositions and methods for use in three dimensional model printing
A radiation curing composition suitable for building a three-dimensional object by a solid freeform method is disclosed. The composition includes one or more mono-functional monomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature higher than about 60° C., one or more di-functional oligomers where a respective polymer has a Glass Transition Temperature lower than about 40° C. and a phase separation inducing component. The phase separation may be induced during curing, resulting in a non-clear cured material having an improved impact strength and higher elongation, when compared to similar compositions without a phase separation inducing component.
1. A composition suitable for building a three dimensional object by three-dimensional printing, the composition comprising:
one or more mono-functional monomers; and
one or more di-functional oligomers,
wherein functional groups of the one or more monomers and one or more oligomers are meth(acrylic), the composition has a viscosity of about 50-500 cps at ambient temperature, the concentration of said one or more mono-functional monomers is at least 20% by weight and the concentration of said one or more di-functional oligomers is at least 20% by weight.
2. The composition of claim 1 , where a respective polymer of the one or more mono-functional monomers has a Glass Transition Temperature higher than about 60° C. and a respective polymer of the one or more di-functional oligomers has a Glass Transition Temperature lower than about 40° C.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a viscosity lower than 20 cps at a temperature higher than the ambient temperature and after curing, the composition results in a solid form.
4. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a molecule having one or more epoxy substituents, a molecule having one or more vinyl ether substituents, vinylcaprolactam, vinylpyrolidone, or any combination thereof.
5. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a photo-initiator.
6. The composition of claim 5 , further wherein the photo-initiator is a free radical photo-initiator, a cationic photo-initiator or any combination thereof.
7. The composition of to claim 1 , further comprising a surface-active agent and a stabilizer.
8. A method for the preparation of a three-dimensional object by three-dimensional printing, the method comprising:
dispensing from a printing head a composition that comprises one or more mono-functional monomers and one or more di-functional oligomers, wherein functional groups of the one or more monomers and one or more oligomers are meth(acrylic), the composition has a viscosity of about 50-500 cps at ambient temperature, the concentration of said one or more mono-functional monomers is at least 20% by weight and the concentration of said one or more di-functional oligomers is at least 20% by weight; and
curing the composition.
9. The method of claim 8 , where a respective polymer of the one or more mono-functional monomers in the composition has a Glass Transition Temperature higher than about 60° C. and a respective polymer of the one or more di-functional oligomers in the composition has a Glass Transition Temperature lower than about 40° C.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the composition has a viscosity lower than 20 cps at a temperature higher than the ambient temperature and after curing, the composition results in a solid form.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one of a molecule having one or more epoxy substituents, a molecule having one or more vinyl ether substituents, vinylcaprolactam, vinylpyrolidone, or any combination thereof.
12. A three-dimensional object comprising:
a multiplicity of construction layers formed by curing a composition that comprises one or more mono-functional monomers and one or more di-functional oligomers, wherein functional groups of the one or more monomers and one or more oligomers are meth(acrylic), the composition has a viscosity of about 50-500 cps at ambient temperature, the concentration of said one or more mono-functional monomers is at least 20% by weight and the concentration of said one or more di-functional oligomers is at least 20% by weight, wherein after curing, the composition results in a solid material.
13. The three-dimensional object of claim 12 , where a respective polymer of the one or more mono-functional monomers in the composition has a Glass Transition Temperature higher than about 60° C. and a respective polymer of the one or more di-functional oligomers in the composition has a Glass Transition Temperature lower than about 40° C.
14. The three-dimensional object of claim 12 , wherein the composition has a viscosity lower than 20 cps at a temperature higher than the ambient temperature and after curing, the composition results in a solid form.
15. The three-dimensional object of claim 12 , wherein the composition comprises a photo-initiator, a surface-active agent and a stabilizer.
16. The three-dimensional object of claim 12 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one of a molecule having one or more epoxy substituents, a molecule having one or more vinyl ether substituents, vinylcaprolactam, vinylpyrolidone, or any combination thereof.
17. The three-dimensional object of claim 12 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one pigment and at least one dispersant.
18. A solid composition formed by curing the composition of claim 1 .
19. A layer formed by the solid composition of claim 18 .