Color stable inks and applications thereof
View Patent ↗In one aspect, inks for use with a 3D printer are described herein. In some embodiments, an ink comprises a polymerizable material and a reactive wax comprising a saturated alkyl moiety bonded to an ethyleneically unsaturated moiety through a urethane, urea, ester, or carbonate ester linkage, wherein the ink is free or substantially free of non-reactive wax.
1. A method of preventing development of a white residue on a surface of a three-dimensionally printed article, the method comprising:
selectively depositing layers of a fluid ink to form the article on a substrate, the ink comprising:
a polymerizable material comprising one or more species of (meth)acrylates; and
a reactive wax comprising a saturated alkyl moiety bonded to an ethylenically unsaturated alkyl moiety through a urethane linkage,
wherein the ink is free or substantially free of non-reactive wax,
wherein the article when cured does not develop a white surface residue when aged under ambient conditions for 3 months to 1 year or when heated to a temperature greater than a melting point of the reactive wax, and
wherein the reactive wax comprises the reaction product of an isocyanatoalkyl (meth)acrylate having 2-18 carbon atoms in its alkyl chain and a fatty alcohol having 4-36 carbon atoms in its alkyl chain.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink when cured exhibits a tensile modulus of 2300 MPa to 2800 MPa when measured according to ASTM D 638.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink when cured exhibits a break elongation of 25% to 40% when measured according to ASTM D 638.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink when cured exhibits a heat deflection temperature ranging from 105° C. to 120° C. when tested according to ASTM D 648.
5. A method of preventing development of a white residue on a surface of a three-dimensionally printed article, the method comprising:
selectively depositing layers of a fluid ink to form the article on a substrate, the ink comprising:
a polymerizable material comprising one or more species of (meth)acrylates; and
a reactive wax comprising a saturated alkyl moiety bonded to an ethylenically unsaturated alkyl moiety through a urethane linkage,
wherein the ink is free or substantially free of non-reactive wax,
wherein the article when cured does not develop a white surface residue when aged under ambient conditions for 3 months to 1 year or when heated to a temperature greater than a melting point of the reactive wax, and
wherein the reactive wax comprises a chemical species of Formula (II):
wherein x is an integer from 0 to 34, y is an integer from 1 to 17, and R is H or CH 3 .
6. A method of preventing development of a white residue on a surface of a three-dimensionally printed article, the method comprising:
selectively depositing layers of a fluid ink to form the article on a substrate, the ink comprising:
a polymerizable material comprising one or more species of (meth)acrylates; and
a reactive wax comprising a saturated alkyl moiety bonded to an ethylenically unsaturated alkyl moiety through a urea linkage,
wherein the ink is free or substantially free of non-reactive wax,
wherein the article when cured does not develop a white surface residue when aged under ambient conditions for 3 months to 1 year or when heated to a temperature greater than a melting point of the reactive wax, and
wherein the reactive wax comprises a chemical species of Formula (III):
wherein x is an integer from 0 to 34, y is an integer from 1 to 17, and R is H or CH 3 .
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactive wax exhibits a melting point range centered between 50° C. and 80° C.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink comprises a plurality of reactive waxes.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ink further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiators, inhibitors, stabilizing agents, sensitizers, and combinations thereof.
10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the reactive wax exhibits a melting point range centered between 50° C. and 80° C.
11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ink comprises a plurality of reactive waxes.
12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ink further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiators, inhibitors, stabilizing agents, sensitizers, and combinations thereof.
13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the reactive wax exhibits a melting point range centered between 50° C. and 80° C.
14. The method of claim 6 , wherein the ink comprises a plurality of reactive waxes.
15. The method of claim 6 , wherein the ink further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiators, inhibitors, stabilizing agents, sensitizers, and combinations thereof.