Infiltrated Three-Dimensional Articles and Methods of Making Same
Infiltrated three-dimensional articles are provided. An article includes a first polymeric material having an exterior surface and an interior volume; and a second polymeric material that is a thermoplastic polymer or a reaction product of a polymerizable composition disposed in at least a portion of the interior volume of the first polymeric material to a depth from the exterior surface. Methods of making the articles are provided. A method includes curing a photopolymerizable composition containing at least one reactive component and at least one photoinitiator to form an additive manufactured three-dimensional structure of a first polymeric material having an exterior surface and an interior volume. The method further includes contacting at least a portion the three-dimensional structure with a fluid to form an infiltrated structure; and curing or drying the fluid of the infiltrated structure to form an infiltrated three-dimensional article.
1 . An infiltrated three-dimensional article comprising:
a) a first polymeric material having an exterior surface and an interior volume; and
b) a second polymeric material that is a thermoplastic polymer or a reaction product of a polymerizable composition disposed in at least a portion of the interior volume of the first polymeric material to a depth of at least 0.1 millimeters (mm) from the exterior surface.
2 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material comprises a thermoplastic polymer.
3 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material comprises a reaction product of a polymerizable composition comprising at least one reactive component.
4 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric material comprises a reaction product of a photopolymerizable composition comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated component and at least one photoinitiator.
5 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material is disposed on at least a portion of the exterior surface of the first polymeric material in a form of a layer having a thickness of 500 micrometers or greater.
6 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material is disposed on an entirety of the exterior surface of the first polymeric material in a form of a complete shell surrounding the first polymeric material.
7 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material is disposed in a portion of the interior volume of the first polymeric material located directly adjacent to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the first polymeric material.
8 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material is disposed throughout the interior volume of the first polymeric material.
9 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material has a modulus that is at least 10% different than a modulus of the first polymeric material.
10 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material has a glass transition temperature (T g ) that is at least 5 degrees Celsius different than a T g of the first polymeric material.
11 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material and the first polymeric material form an interpenetrating polymer network.
12 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material has different optical properties than the first polymeric material.
13 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material has at least one of a different color, a different refractive index, or a different transparency, than the first polymeric material.
14 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the second polymeric material is a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
15 . A method of making an infiltrated three-dimensional article, the method comprising:
a) selectively curing a photopolymerizable composition comprising at least one reactive component and at least one photoinitiator to form an additive manufactured three-dimensional structure of a first polymeric material having an exterior surface and an interior volume;
b) contacting at least a portion the three-dimensional structure with a fluid to form an infiltrated structure; and
c) curing or drying the fluid of the infiltrated structure to form an infiltrated three-dimensional article comprising a second polymeric material disposed in at least a portion of the interior volume of the first polymeric material.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the fluid comprises a thermoplastic polymer, a polymerizable composition comprising at least one reactive component, or a combination thereof.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the fluid comprises a polymerizable composition comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated component and wherein the polymerizable composition is a 100% solids liquid.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional structure is fully submerged in the fluid.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are separate networks lacking covalent bonds between each other.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein a digital representation of the infiltrated three-dimensional article is used in step a) and at least a portion of the digital representation is scaled down to compensate for swelling of the three-dimensional structure caused by infiltration of the fluid in step b).