METHOD OF MAKING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT USING PPSU

1 . A method of making a three-dimensional (3D) object, comprising:

providing a part material comprising a polymeric component comprising at least one poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU) having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) ranging from 48,000 to 52,000 g/mol (as determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using methylene chloride as a mobile phase and polystyrene standards),

printing layers of the three-dimensional object from the part material.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the part material also comprises up to 30 wt. %, based on the total weight of the part material, of at least one additive selected from the group consisting of fillers, colorants, lubricants, plasticizers, flame retardants, nucleating agents, flow enhancers and stabilizers.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric component of the part material comprises at least 80 wt. % of poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer(s) (PPSU), based on the total weight of polymeric component of the part material.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the part material is in the form of a filament or microparticles.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of printing layers comprises extruding the part material.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU) comprises at least 50 mol. % of recurring units (R PPSU ) of formula (K), the mol. % being based on the total number of moles in the polymer:

where

R, at each location, is independently selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkyl, an alkenyl, an alkynyl, an aryl, an ether, a thioether, a carboxylic acid, an ester, an amide, an imide, an alkali or alkaline earth metal sulfonate, an alkyl sulfonate, an alkali or alkaline earth metal phosphonate, an alkyl phosphonate, an amine, and a quaternary ammonium; and

h, for each R, is independently zero or an integer ranging from 1 to 4.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU) comprises at least 50 mol. % of recurring units (R PPSU ) of formula (L), the mol. % being based on the total number of moles in the polymer:

8 . The method of claim 6 or 7 , wherein the poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU) comprises at least 90 mol. % of recurring units (R PPSU ) of formula (L) and/or (K), the mol. % being based on the total number of moles in the polymer.

9 . A filament material comprising a polymeric component comprising a poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU) having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) ranging from 48,000 to 52,000 g/mol (as determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using methylene chloride as a mobile phase and polystyrene standards).

10 . The filament material of claim 9 , wherein the polymeric component comprises at least 80 wt. % of poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU), based on the total weight of the polymeric component of the filament material.

11 . A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object using an additive manufacturing system or manufacturing a filament for use in the manufacture of a three-dimensional object, comprising using a part material comprising a polymeric component comprising at least one poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU) having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) ranging from 48,000 to 52,000 g/mol (as determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using methylene chloride as a mobile phase and polystyrene standards).

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the part material also comprises up to 30 wt. %, based on the total weight of the part material, of at least one additive selected from the group consisting of fillers, colorants, lubricants, plasticizers, flame retardants, nucleating agents, flow enhancers and stabilizers.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the polymeric component of the part material comprises at least 80 wt. % of poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU), based on the total weight of polymeric component of the part material.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the part material is in the form of a filament or microparticles.

15 . (canceled)

16 . The filament material of claim 9 , having a cylindrical geometry and a diameter varying between 0.5 and 5 mm±0.15 mm.

17 . The filament material of claim 9 , wherein the poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU) comprises at least 50 mol. % of recurring units (R PPSU ) of formula (K), the mol. % being based on the total number of moles in the polymer:

where

R, at each location, is independently selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkyl, an alkenyl, an alkynyl, an aryl, an ether, a thioether, a carboxylic acid, an ester, an amide, an imide, an alkali or alkaline earth metal sulfonate, an alkyl sulfonate, an alkali or alkaline earth metal phosphonate, an alkyl phosphonate, an amine, and a quaternary ammonium; and

h, for each R, is independently zero or an integer ranging from 1 to 4.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the filament material has a cylindrical geometry and a diameter varying between 0.5 and 5 mm±0.15 mm.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the poly(biphenyl ether sulfone) (co)polymer (PPSU) comprises at least 50 mol. % of recurring units (R PPSU ) of formula (K), the mol. % being based on the total number of moles in the polymer:

where

R, at each location, is independently selected from the group consisting of a halogen, an alkyl, an alkenyl, an alkynyl, an aryl, an ether, a thioether, a carboxylic acid, an ester, an amide, an imide, an alkali or alkaline earth metal sulfonate, an alkyl sulfonate, an alkali or alkaline earth metal phosphonate, an alkyl phosphonate, an amine, and a quaternary ammonium; and

h, for each R, is independently zero or an integer ranging from 1 to 4.