PAEK powder, in particular for the use in a method for a layer-wise manufacturing of a three-dimensional object, as well as method for producing it
By a temper treatment a polyaryletherketone powder is processed such that it is particularly suited for the use in a method for a layer-wise manufacturing of a three-dimensional object. To this effect the powder is tempered at a temperature that is at least 20° C. above the glass transition temperature for at least 30 minutes before it is used as building material.
1. Method for producing a polyaryletherketone (PAEK) powder for layered manufacturing of a three-dimensional part, comprising:
exposing a PAEK fine powder, which has been manufactured by grinding, or a precipitation process from a solvent, or melt spraying or spray drying from a coarse powder or granulate, to a temperature T that lies at least 20° above the glass transition temperature determined by means of DSC according to DIN 53765 for a period that is longer than 30 min.
2. Method according to claim 1 , in which the temperature T is selected to be at least 50° C. above the glass transition temperature Tg of the powder determined by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) according to DIN 53765.
3. Method according to claim 1 , in which the temperature T is selected to be below the melting point T S of the powder determined by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) according to DIN 53765.
4. Method according to claim 3 , in which the temperature T is selected to be 20° C. below the melting point T S of the powder determined by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) according to DIN 53765.
5. Method according to claim 3 , in which the temperature T is selected to be 30° C. below the melting point T S of the powder determined by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) according to DIN 53765.
6. Method according to claim 1 , in which the powder is exposed to the temperature T by irradiating it with electromagnetic radiation or particle radiation.
7. Method according to claim 6 , in which the powder is exposed to the temperature T by irradiating it with IR-radiation or microwave-radiation.
8. Method according to claim 6 , in which a portion of the supplied thermal energy for reaching and keeping the temperature T is supplied to the powder by means of a mechanical treatment.
9. Method according to claim 7 , in which a portion of the supplied thermal energy for reaching and keeping the temperature T is supplied to the powder by means of a mechanical treatment.
10. Method according to claim 1 , in which the PAEK fine powder that is used as starting material comprises a powder from the group polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyetherketone (PEK), polyetheretherketoneketone (PEEKK) or polyetherketoneetherketoneketone (PEKEKK).
11. Method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one additive is added to the PAEK fine powder as further component.
12. Method according to claim 11 , wherein the additive is worked into the powder by means of a fusion joining.
13. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment of the starting powder is performed under an inert gas atmosphere.