IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,211,368
Granted Patent B2
US 7,211,368 · App. 10/628,304 · Granted May 1, 2007

Stereolithography resins and methods

Assignee: 3 Birds, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,211,368
App. No.
10/628,304
Granted
May 1, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

Photocurable resin compositions are provided that are most useful in stereolithography. A photocurable resin includes a urethane acrylate oligomer, an acrylate monomer, and a polymerization modifier. The resin after curing provides a solid product that has characteristics that can depend on the resin composition.

Claims (30)

1. A liquid stereolithography resin comprising a first urethane acrylate oligomer, a first acrylate monomer, a polymerization modifier, a second urethane acrylate oligomer different from the first urethane acrylate oligomer, and a stabilizer; wherein the first urethane acrylate oligomer is an aliphatic polyester urethane diacrylate oligomer, wherein the first acrylate monomer is ethoxylated (3) trimethylolpropane acrylate, and the polymerization modifier is selected from the group consisting of isobornyl acrylate, ethoxylated (5) pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, an aliphatic urethane acrylate, tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate, and mixtures thereof, wherein the resin includes 5–35 weight % an aliphatic polyester urethane diacrylate oligomer and 0.5–25 weight % ethoxylated (3) trimethylolpropane acrylate, wherein the resin includes 15–45 weight % ethoxylated (5) pentaerythritol tetraacrylate.

2. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , wherein the resin includes 5–35 weight % tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate.

3. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , wherein the resin includes 5–35 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

4. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , wherein the resin includes 10–35 weight % an aliphatic polyester urethane diacrylate and 0.5–25 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

5. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , wherein the resin includes 6–35 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

6. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , wherein the resin includes 50–80 weight % an aliphatic urethane containing bound silicone and 0.5–20 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

7. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , wherein the resin includes 45–75 weight % an aromatic urethane acrylate oligomer and 10–70 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

8. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , wherein the resin includes 10–40 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

9. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , further comprising a photoinitiator.

10. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 9 , wherein the photoinitiator includes a phosphine oxide, an alpha-hydroxyketone, and a benzophenone derivative.

11. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 9 , wherein the photoinitiator includes a component selected from the group consisting of a benzophenone, a benzil dimethyl ketal, a 1-hydroxy-cyclohexylphenylketone, an isopropyl thioxanthone, an ethyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate, a blend of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyldiphenyl phosphine oxide, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzophenone, 4-methylbenzophenone, and oligo(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-(4-(1-methylvinyl)phenyl)propanone, a benzoin normal butyl ether, a blend of oligo(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-(4-(1-methylvinyl)phenyl)propanone) and poly(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone), tripropyleneglycol diacrylate, an oligo(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-(4-(1-methylvinyl)phenyl)propanone), a 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone, a poly(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone), a trimethylolpropane triacrylate, a mixture of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzophenone and 4-methylbenzophenone, a phosphine oxide, a 4-methylbenzophenone, a trimethylbenzophenone, a methylbenzophenone, and a blend of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphineoxide and hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one.

12. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 9 , wherein the photoinitiator includes a component selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphineoxide and hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one, a phosphine oxide, and a 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone, or mixtures thereof.

13. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 9 , wherein the photoinitiator activates polymerization of an acrylate in a wavelength range of 240 nm to 250 nm, 360 nm to 380 nm, or 390 nm to 410 nm.

14. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of (bis(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate and 1-methyl-10-(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate), (bis(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate), MEQH (4-methoxyphenol), 2-(2′-hydroxy-5′-methylphenyl)benzotriazole, 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl methacrylate and (2-hydroxy-4-octyloxybenzophenone).

15. A liquid stereolithography resin comprising a first urethane acrylate oligomer, a first acrylate monomer, a polymerization modifier, a second urethane acrylate oligomer different from the first urethane acrylate oligomer, and a stabilizer; wherein the first urethane acrylate oligomer is an aliphatic polyester urethane diacrylate oligomer, wherein the first acrylate monomer is ethoxylated (3) trimethylolpropane acrylate, and the polymerization modifier is selected from the group consisting of isobornyl acrylate, ethoxylated (5) pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, an aliphatic urethane acrylate, tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate, and mixtures thereof, wherein the resin includes 5–35 weight % an aliphatic polyester urethane diacrylate oligomer and 0.5–25 weight % ethoxylated (3) trimethyloipropane acrylate, wherein the resin includes 0.5–25 weight % an aliphatic urethane acrylate.

16. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , wherein the resin includes 5–35 weight % tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate.

17. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , wherein the resin includes 5–35 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

18. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , wherein the resin includes 10–35 weight % an aliphatic polyester urethane diacrylate and 0.5–25 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

19. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , wherein the resin includes 6‥35 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

20. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , wherein the resin includes 50‥80 weight % an aliphatic urethane containing bound silicone and 0.5–20 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

21. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , wherein the resin includes 45–75 weight % an aromatic urethane acrylate oligomer and 10–70 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

22. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , wherein the resin includes 10–40 weight % isobornyl acrylate.

23. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , further comprising a photoinitiator.

24. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 23 , wherein the photoinitiator includes a phosphine oxide, an alpha-hydroxyketone, and a benzophenone derivative.

25. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 23 , wherein the photoinitiator includes a component selected from the group consisting of a benzophenone, a benzil dimethyl ketal, a 1-hydroxy-cyclohexylphenylketone, an isopropyl thioxanthone, an ethyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate, a blend of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyldiphenyl phosphine oxide, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzophenone, 4-methylbenzophenone, and oligo(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-(4-(1-methylvinyl)phenyl)propanone, a benzoin normal butyl ether, a blend of oligo(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-(4-(1-methylvinyl)phenyl)propanone) and poly(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone), tripropyleneglycol diacrylate, an oligo(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-(4-(1-methylvinyl)phenyl)propanone), a 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone, a poly(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone), a trimethyloipropane triacrylate, a mixture of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzophenone and 4-methylbenzophenone, a phosphine oxide, a 4-methylbenzophenone, a trimethylbenzophenone, a methylbenzophenone, and a blend of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphineoxide and hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one.

26. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 23 , wherein the photoinitiator includes a component selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphineoxide and hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one, a phosphine oxide, and a 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1-propanone, or mixtures thereof.

27. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 23 , wherein the photoinitiator activates polymerization of an acrylate in a wavelength range of 240 nm to 250 nm, 360 nm to 380 nm, or 390 nm to 410 nm.

28. The liquid stereolithography resin of claim 15 , wherein the stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of (bis(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate and 1-methyl-10-(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate), (bis(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl)sebacate), MEQH (4-methoxyphenol), 2-(2′-hydroxy-5′-methylphenyl)benzotriazole, 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl methacrylate and (2-hydroxy-4-octyloxybenzophenone).

29. A liquid stereolithography resin comprising an aliphatic polyester urethane diacrylate oligomer, an ethoxylated (3) trimethylolpropane acrylate, and a polymerization modifier comprising a member selected from the group consisting of isobornyl acrylate, ethoxylated (5) pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, an aliphatic urethane acrylate, tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate, and mixtures thereof, wherein the resin includes 15–45 weight % ethoxylated (5) pentaerythritol tetraacrylate.

30. A liquid stereolithography resin comprising an aliphatic polyester urethane diacrylate oligomer, an ethoxylated (3) trimethylolpropane acrylate, and a polymerization modifier comprising a member selected from the group consisting of isobornyl acrylate, ethoxylated (5) pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, an aliphatic urethane acrylate, tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate, and mixtures thereof, wherein the resin includes 0.5–25 weight % an aliphatic urethane acrylate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2004
From: COATS, ALMA L.; HARRISON, JAMES P.; HAY, JAMES SCOTT; RAMOS, MANUEL JACINTO
To: 3 BIRDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 015163/0781 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 6043849600 · Jan 7, 2003
Related Publication 20040135292A1 · Jul 15, 2004