US6048954A
Expired / Lapsed
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Binder compositions for laser sintering processes
Assignee: The University of Texas System
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Filing: 1997-06-24
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Granted: 2000-04-11
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Expires: 2017-06-24
Abstract
Abstract The development of polymer binder compositions that provide novel binders for high temperature inorganic particulates, especially metal and ceramic particulates is described. These materials are especially useful in a laser beam sintering process known as SLS TM that forms accurately shaped high strength green objects. The new binders may be thermally removed in post-shaping operations without significant residual ash. The resulting structures contain only metal, ceramic, or metal ceramic materials. The inventive methods developed for producing the new polymeric binder materials are based in part on using emulsion forms of selected polymers at controlled low molecular weights and high melt flow. An important aspect of the process is the semi-batch addition of selected chain transfer agents to the reacting emulsion. This optimizes coating characteristics of the polymer binder and results in high part strengths of the prototype parts produced in the SLS TM process.
Inventors
- 👤 Joel W. Barlow
- 👤 Neal K. Vail
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 22:58
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08F; C08F220/00; C08F220/02; C08F220/10; C08F220/12; B; B29; B29C; B29C41/00; B29C41/003; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/165; B33; B33Y; B33Y70/00; B33Y70/10; C04; C04B; C04B35/00; C04B35/622; C04B35/626; C04B35/63; C04B35/632; C04B35/634; C04B35/63404; C04B35/63424; C04B35/63444; B22; B22F; B22F10/00; B22F10/20; B22F10/28; B29K; B29K2503/00; B29K2503/04; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/25
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
An amorphous polymeric binder composition comprising an 80/20 molar ratio p(MMA-co-nBMA) methacrylate copolymer that has at least 95% mer units containing quaternary carbon atoms on the mer backbone wherein said copolymer has a T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C., a melt flow index of 20-50 g/10 min and a particle size between about 50-250 nm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
60 words
An amorphous polymeric binder composition comprising an 80/20 molar ratio p(MMA-co-nBMA) methacrylate copolymer that has at least 95% mer units containing quaternary carbon atoms on the mer backbone wherein said copolymer has a T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C., a melt flow index of 20-50 g/10 min and a particle size between about 50-250 nm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
An amorphous polymeric binder composition comprising a methacrylate copolymer that has at least 95% mer units containing quaternary carbon atoms on the mer backbone wherein said copolymer has a T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C., a melt flow index of 20-50 g/10 min and a particle size between about 50-250 nm and further including about 2-5 mol % of a termonomer adhesion promoter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
An amorphous polymeric binder composition comprising a methacrylate copolymer that has at least 95% mer units containing quaternary carbon atoms on the mer backbone wherein said copolymer has a T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C., a melt flow index of 20-50 g/10 min and a particle size between about 50-250 nm and further including about 2-5 mol % of a termonomer adhesion promoter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 2 wherein the adhesion promoter is methacrylamide, N,N-dimethyl-aminoethyl methacrylate or methacrylic acid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 2 wherein the adhesion promoter is N,N-dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
An amorphous polymeric binder composition comprising a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and n-butylmethacrylate with a T g of about 80 to about 89° C. and a melt index of about 25 g/10 min at 200° C. and 75 psi extrusion pressure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
An amorphous polymeric binder composition comprising a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and n-butylmethacrylate with a T g of about 80 to about 89° C. and a melt index of about 25 g/10 min at 200° C. and 75 psi extrusion pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
A polymer binder prepared by continuous addition of a water soluble monomer of metbacrylic acid ester and n-butylmethacrylic acid ester to an aqueous emulsion of an ionic initiator and a chain transfer agent wherein said continuous addition promotes formation of a copolymer product having a particle size of about 100 nm and a melt flow index of between 1-50 g/10 min at 200° C. and 75 psi extrusion pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A polymer binder prepared by continuous addition of a water soluble monomer of metbacrylic acid ester and n-butylmethacrylic acid ester to an aqueous emulsion of an ionic initiator and a chain transfer agent wherein said continuous addition promotes formation of a copolymer product having a particle size of about 100 nm and a melt flow index of between 1-50 g/10 min at 200° C. and 75 psi extrusion pressure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
An amorphous polymeric binder composition comprising dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate and methacrylamide or methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate copolymer that has at least 95% mer units containing quaternary carbon atoms on the mer backbone wherein said copolymer has a T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C., a melt flow index of 20-50 g/10 min and a particle size between about 50-250 nm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
An amorphous polymeric binder composition comprising dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate and methacrylamide or methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate copolymer that has at least 95% mer units containing quaternary carbon atoms on the mer backbone wherein said copolymer has a T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C., a melt flow index of 20-50 g/10 min and a particle size between about 50-250 nm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
99 words
A copolymeric methacrylate amorphous binder composition having the following properties: (a) A T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C.; (b) A melt flow index of between about 1 and about 50 g/10 min at 200° C. and 75 psi extrusion pressure; (c) thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere; (d) alternately placed quaternary carbons on the methacrylate copolymer backbone; and (e) an 80/20 molar ratio p(MMA-co-nBMA) copolymer; and wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400°.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
99 words
A copolymeric methacrylate amorphous binder composition having the following properties: (a) A T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C.; (b) A melt flow index of between about 1 and about 50 g/10 min at 200° C. and 75 psi extrusion pressure; (c) thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere; (d) alternately placed quaternary carbons on the methacrylate copolymer backbone; and (e) an 80/20 molar ratio p(MMA-co-nBMA) copolymer; and wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400°.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
104 words
A copolymeric methacrylate amorphous binder composition having the following properties: (a) A T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C.; (b) A melt flow index of between about 1 and about 50 g/10 min at 200° C. and 75 psi extrusion pressure; (c) thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere; (d) alternately placed quaternary carbons on the methacrylate copolymer backbone; and (e) including about 2-5 mol % of a copolymeric termonomer adhesion promoter; and wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400°.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
104 words
A copolymeric methacrylate amorphous binder composition having the following properties: (a) A T g of between about 40° C. and about 100° C.; (b) A melt flow index of between about 1 and about 50 g/10 min at 200° C. and 75 psi extrusion pressure; (c) thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere; (d) alternately placed quaternary carbons on the methacrylate copolymer backbone; and (e) including about 2-5 mol % of a copolymeric termonomer adhesion promoter; and wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400°.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 9 wherein the adhesion promoter is methacrylamide, N,N-dimethyl-aminoethyl methacrylate or methacrylic acid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 9 wherein the adhesion promoter is N,N-dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 1, wherein said binder is thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 1, wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 2, wherein said binder is thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 2, wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 5, wherein said binder is thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 5, wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 6, wherein said binder is thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 6, wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 7, wherein said binder is thermally depolymerizable to gaseous products in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The amorphous polymeric binder composition of claim 7, wherein said binder decomposes to less than about 0.5 wt. % residue in a non-oxidizing environment at temperatures between about 275° C. and about 400° C.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-04-11 | 2003-10-11 | 2004-04-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-04-11 | 2007-10-11 | 2008-04-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-04-11 | 2011-10-11 | 2012-04-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |