Process for 3D printing

1. A process for 3D printing a 3-dimensional (3D) object, the process comprising:

a) providing a suspension comprising:

60-95% by weight of the total suspension (w/w) of at least one polymeric material and/or metallic material; and

at least 10% by weight of the total suspension (w/w) of one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof; and

b) 3D printing the desired object using the suspension as a feedstock;

wherein said fatty acid derivatives comprises at least one acid group from the group consisting of carboxylic acid, phosphonic acid and sulfonic acid group attached to at least one C5-C30 hydrocarbon.

2. The process according to claim 1 , comprising at least one polymeric material.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(1,4-phenylene sulfide) (PPS), poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO), polyamide (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketone (PEK), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI), polyoxymethylene (POM), polysulfone (PSU), polyurethane (PU), polybutadiene (PB), polytetrafluoroethyelen (PTFE), polyvinylfluoride (PVF), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), perfluoroalkoxy polymer (PFA), fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP), polyethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxyvalerate (PHV), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), liquid crystal polymer, polyacrylate, polyacetals, polyamideimide (PAI), polybutylene(PB), polyvinylchloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), polymethylpentane (PMP), alginate, chitin, chitosan, acrylic acid, hyaluronic acid, starch, amylose, amylopectin, pectin, dextran, pullulan, gum arabic, xanthan gum, pullulan, cellulose, polysaccharides, proteins, nucleic acids, rubber, silicone and co-polymers thereof.

4. The process according to claim 1 , comprising at least one metallic material.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic material is selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, aluminium, iron, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, tin, antimony, bismuth, lead, nickel, cobalt, vanadium, manganese, chromium, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, neodymium, lithium, sodium, osmium, iridium, uranium, thorium, plutonium, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, rhodium, cadmium, hafnium, rhenium, mercury, gallium, indium, thallium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, strontium, barium, germanium, arsenic, astatine and alloys and hydrides thereof.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension comprises:

60-90% by weight of the total suspension (w/w) of at least one polymeric material and/or metallic material; and

at least 10% by weight of the total suspension (w/w) of one or more fatty acids.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension further comprises one or more hydrophilic polymer components.

8. The process according to claim 1 , comprising in the range 60-95% of the at least one metallic material, by weight of the total suspension (w/w).

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more fatty acids are selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, lignoceric acid, cerotic acid, myristoleic acid, palmitoleic acid, sapienic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, vaccenic acid, linoleic acid, linoelaidic acid, α-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, erucic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension comprises in the range 5-50% fatty acid by weight of the total suspension.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer and/or metal material is biodegradable.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer and/or metal material is biocompatible.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein one or more drugs are added before or after 3D printing.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the object is a medical implant.

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension comprises a mixture of 70-92% (w/w) metal material and 8-30% (w/w) fatty acid.

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension does not comprise a component selected from the group consisting of paraffin, alkanes, waxes, mineral oils, petroleum jelly, polypropylene, polyethylene and polymers that undergo no or limited degradation and/or resorption in the human body.

17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the 3D printing process is selected from the group consisting of robocasting, direct ink writing, ink jet printing, binder jetting, selective heat sintering, selective laser sintering, selective laser melting, stereolithography, filament printing, pellet printing, powder printing, freeform fabrication, rapid prototyping or deposition from a robotic arm.

18. The process according to claim 1 , comprising a step c) of solidifying the printed material by a method selected from the group consisting of sintering, hydrating, coating, melting, infiltrating and/or crosslinking the 3D printed material.

19. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the particle size of the one or more materials are in the range 1 nm to 1 mm.

20. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension comprises less than 1% by weight water.