THREE-DIMENSIONALLY PRINTABLE ANTIVIRAL FILAMENT

1 . An antiviral filament, comprising:

an antiviral polymer including

a base polymer, and

an antiviral agent incorporated in the base polymer, wherein the antiviral agent exhibits a phase transition temperature of 200 degrees Centigrade or greater.

2 . The antiviral filament of claim 1 , wherein the antiviral agent includes at least one of metal nanoparticles, metal ions, and metal ion containing zeolites.

3 . The antiviral filament of claim 2 , wherein the antiviral agent is present in a range of 0.05 percent to 2 percent by weight of the total weight of the antiviral polymer.

4 . The antiviral filament of claim 2 , wherein the antiviral agent includes at least one of copper, gold, silver, an S block metal having a molecular mass greater than 28 and, a D block metal having a molecular mass greater than 28.

5 . The antiviral filament of claim 2 , wherein the antiviral agent includes metal nanoparticles and the metal nanoparticles exhibit a size in a range of 1 nm to 250 nm.

6 . The antiviral filament of claim 1 , wherein the antiviral agent includes at least one of bisbiguanides, hypericin, pseudo-hypericin, quaternary ammonium salts and quaternary phosphonium salts.

7 . The antiviral filament of claim 6 , wherein the antiviral agent is present in the antiviral polymer in a range of 0.01 percent to 2 percent by weight of the total weight of the antiviral polymer.

8 . The antiviral filament of claim 1 , wherein the antiviral agent includes phenols.

9 . The antiviral agent of claim 8 , wherein the antiviral agent is present in a range of 5 percent to 20 percent by weight of the total weight of the antiviral polymer.

10 . The antiviral filament of claim 8 , wherein the phenols include tannic acid.

11 . The antiviral filament of claim 1 , wherein the antiviral filament comprises a core and a sheath disposed on at least a portion of the core, wherein at least one of the sheath and the core is formed from the antiviral polymer.

12 . The antiviral filament of claim 11 , wherein the sheath and the core both include the same base polymer.

13 . A method of fabricating a three-dimensional component, comprising:

feeding an antiviral filament into an extrusion nozzle, the antiviral filament comprising an antiviral polymer including

a base polymer, and

an antiviral agent incorporated in the base polymer, wherein the antiviral agent exhibits a phase transition temperature of 200 degrees Centigrade or greater;

applying heat and pressure to the antiviral filament to melt the antiviral filament in the extrusion nozzle;

extruding the antiviral filament from the extrusion nozzle;

depositing the extruded antiviral filament into layers; and

forming a three-dimensional component from the layers of extruded antiviral filament.

14 . An antiviral three-dimensional printed component, comprising:

a plurality of layers of an antiviral filament, the antiviral filament including an antiviral polymer including

a base polymer, and

an antiviral agent incorporated in the base polymer, wherein the antiviral agent exhibits a phase transition temperature of 200 degrees Centigrade or greater.

15 . The antiviral filament of claim 14 , wherein the antiviral agent includes at least one of metal nanoparticles, metal ions, and metal ion containing zeolites.

16 . The antiviral filament of claim 15 , wherein the antiviral agent is present in a range of 0.05 percent to 2 percent by weight of the total weight of the antiviral polymer.

17 . The antiviral filament of claim 15 , wherein the antiviral agent includes at least one of copper, gold, silver, an S block metal having a molecular mass greater than 28 and, a D block metal having a molecular mass greater than 28.

18 . The antiviral filament of claim 15 , wherein the antiviral agent includes metal nanoparticles, the metal nanoparticles exhibit a size in a range of 1 nm to 250 nm.

19 . The antiviral filament of claim 14 , wherein the antiviral agent includes at least one of bisbiguanides, hypericin, pseudo-hypericin, quaternary ammonium salts and quaternary phosphonium salts.

20 . The antiviral filament of claim 19 , wherein the antiviral agent is present in the antiviral polymer in a range of 0.01 percent to 2 percent by weight of the total weight of the antiviral polymer.

21 . The antiviral filament of claim 14 , wherein the antiviral agent includes phenols.

22 . The antiviral agent of claim 21 , wherein the antiviral agent is present in a range of 5 percent to 20 percent by weight of the total weight of the antiviral polymer.

23 . The antiviral filament of claim 21 , wherein the phenols include tannic acid.