Abstract:
Some variations provide a composition for additive manufacturing (3D printing) of metals, comprising: from 10 vol % to 70 vol % of a photocurable liquid resin; from 10 vol % to 70 vol % of metal or metal alloy particles, optionally configured with a photoreflective surface; and from 0.01 vol % to 10 vol % of a photoinitiator. Other variations provide a composition for additive manufacturing of metals, comprising: from 1 vol % to 70 vol % of a photocurable liquid resin; from 0.1 vol % to 98 vol % of an organometallic compound containing a first metal; from 1 vol % to 70 vol % of metal or metal alloy particles containing a second metal (which may be the same as or different than the first metal); and from 0.01 vol % to 10 vol % of a photoinitiator. Many examples of metals, photocurable resins, organometallic compounds, photoinitiators, and optional additives are disclosed, and methods of making and using the composition are described.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a sandwich structure having an open cellular core and a fluid-tight seal surrounding the core includes coupling a mold to a first facesheet to define a reservoir. The method also includes irradiating a volume of photo-monomer in the reservoir with a series of vertical collimated light beams to form a cured, solid polymer border extending around a periphery of the first facesheet. The method also includes irradiating a remaining volume of photo-monomer in the reservoir with a series of collimated light beams to form an ordered three-dimensional polymer microstructure core defined by a plurality of interconnected polymer optical waveguides coupled to the first facesheet and surrounded by the cured, solid polymer border. The method further includes coupling a second facesheet to the ordered three-dimensional microstructure core and the cured, solid polymer border to form the sandwich structure.
Abstract:
An aperture system for a bottom-up stereolithography device including a reservoir having a lower opening, an aperture including a flexible membrane positioned within the reservoir and covering the lower opening, and a boundary seal positioned around a periphery of the flexible membrane, the boundary seal including one or more boundary seal components and immobilizing the periphery of the flexible membrane against the reservoir. The flexible membrane is formed of a material having a low affinity for a liquid resin used in the stereolithography device as well as cured photopolymer resin parts produced by the device. In addition, the flexible membrane is able to deform as the cured resin part is pulled away from the aperture, thus enabling lower energy mixed mode adhesive failure to occur at the interface between the cured resin and the aperture and reducing the chance of cohesive damage to the cured photopolymer part.
Abstract:
Some variations provide a preceramic resin precursor formulation comprising: first molecules comprising at least one Si—C bond and/or at least one Si—N bond, wherein the first molecules include at least one silyl hydride group (Si—H) available for hydrosilylation; and second molecules with at least one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond attached to a UV-active functional group. The first molecules and second molecules may be reacted, via hydrosilylation with a homogeneous or heterogeneous metal-containing catalyst, to produce third molecules comprising a hydrosilylation-modified polysilazane that contains the UV-active functional group. Many possible starting formulations are described, and methods are disclosed for carrying out the chemical reactions to generate the hydrosilylation-modified polysilazanes. The hydrosilylation-modified polysilazanes may then be 3D-printed and thermally treating to fabricate a ceramic material.
Abstract:
A sacrificial substrate for use in stereolithography, having a first surface configured to be attached to a build platform, and a second surface of the sacrificial substrate configured to be attached to a photopolymer part. The sacrificial substrate physically separates the build platform and the photopolymer part, and serves as the deposition surface for the photopolymer part in place of the build platform. The sacrificial substrate may be separated from the build platform and then separated from the photopolymer part via pyrolysis, oxidation, or etching to thereby yield the free photopolymer part without subjecting the part to excess physical force or damage.
Abstract:
A multi-chemistry structure includes: a plurality of interconnected polymer struts arranged in a lattice; a first layer of the lattice including a first array of first unit cells; a second layer of the lattice including a second array of second unit cells; at least one region of the lattice being formed of a first polymer; and at least one region of the lattice being formed of a second polymer different from the first polymer.
Abstract:
A method and/or system for forming a micro-truss structure in an essentially arbitrary shape. A mold that has a transparent portion, and having an interior volume in the desired shape, is filled with photomonomer resin. The material for the transparent portion of the mold is selected to be a material that is index-matched to the photomonomer resin. The filled mold, placed into a bath of transparent fluid index-matched to the transparent portion of the mold, and illuminated, from outside the fluid, through a photomask, with collimated light. The collimated light travels through the photomask forming beams of light that enter the transparent fluid, propagate into the mold, and form a micro-truss structure in the shape of the interior volume of the mold. The micro-truss structure may then be removed from the mold, or part or all of the mold may be left adhered to the micro-truss structure, forming covering face sheets.
Abstract:
Architected materials with superior energy absorption properties when loaded in compression. In several embodiments such materials are formed from micro-truss structures composed of interpenetrating tubes in a volume between a first surface and a second surface. The stress-strain response of these structures, for compressive loads applied to the two surfaces, is tailored by arranging for some but not all of the tubes to extend to both surfaces, adjusting the number of layers of repeated unit cells in the structure, arranging for the nodes to be offset from alignment along lines normal to the surfaces, or including multiple interlocking micro-truss structures.
Abstract:
A system and method for forming microlattice structures of large thickness. In one embodiment, a photomonomer resin is secured in a mold having a transparent bottom, the interior surface of which is coated with a mold-release agent. A substrate is placed in contact with the top surface of the photomonomer resin. The photomonomer resin is illuminated from below by one or more sources of collimated light, through a photomask, causing polymer waveguides to form, extending up to the substrate, forming a microlattice structure connected with the substrate. After a layer of microlattice structure has formed, the substrate is raised using a translation-rotation system, additional photomonomer resin is added to the mold, and the photomonomer resin is again illuminated through the photomask, to form an additional layer of microlattice structure. The process is repeated multiple times to form a stacked microlattice structure.
Abstract:
A composition for forming a microlattice structure includes a photopolymerizable compound and a flame retardant material. A microlattice structure includes a plurality of struts interconnected at a plurality of nodes, the struts including: a copolymer including a reaction product of a photopolymerizable compound and a flame retardant material. A microlattice structure includes a plurality of struts interconnected at a plurality of nodes, the struts including: a polymer including a reaction product of a photopolymerizable compound; and a flame retardant material.