Heat-Resistant Materials for 3D Printing

Improve the performance of 3D-printed nickel-based superalloys for aerospace and other applications by reducing cracking that can occur during printing and heat treatment. The method involves using a two-powder mixture of high-melt superalloy powder and low-melt superalloy powder. The low-melt powder has a lower solidus temperature to reduce cracking, while the high-melt powder provides high-temperature performance. The mixture ratio allows printing without hot isostatic pressing. The low-melt powder fills pores and homogenizes during heat treatment.

Source

Photopolymerizable resin composition for additive manufacturing of 3D printed parts with high stiffness at temperatures up to 250°C. The composition contains derivatives of diurethane dimethacrylates and other components that enable the resin to achieve high thermo-mechanical properties. The resin is used to 3D print articles that can maintain stiffness at high temperatures. It is also used in a stereolithography method for making the articles. The printed objects are subjected to post-curing to complete the polymerization and optimize properties.

Source

Nickel-based superalloy composition that is crack-resistant and suitable for additive manufacturing of high-temperature components like gas turbine parts using selective laser melting. The alloy contains zirconium, niobium, yttrium oxide, cobalt, and tungsten. The alloy has improved crack resistance during SLM and heat treatment compared to existing alloys, allowing additive manufacturing of gas turbine components.

Source

Paramagnetic stainless steel alloy that can be heat treated to achieve a hardness of greater than 500 HV. The alloy composition is 20-40% Cr, 3-20% Ni, 0-15% Mn, 0-5% Al, 3-15% Mo, 0-5% W, 0-2% Cu, 0-5% Si, 0-1% Ti, 0-1% Nb, 0-0.1% C, 0-0.5% N, 0-0.5% S, 0-0.1% P, balance Fe and impurities. The steel is first formed and then heat treated to transform the ferrite microstructure into austenite and sigma phase, increasing the hardness. The steel is non-magnetic and has a high hardness for applications like timepiece components.

Source

A metal 3D printer that quickly forms metal support structures that can be easily removed after printing. The printer ejects melted metal drops to form objects. To create supports, it forms a line of spaced pillars, then a single pass ejects a continuous metal line over the pillars. This avoids excessive heat buildup. The pillars can be easily separated from the continuous line later. This enables rapid support formation with adequate strength compared to building walls and joining pillars incrementally.

Source

Heat-aware toolpath generation for 3D printing of physical objects. The toolpath is generated with criteria that optimize the path to minimize heat accumulation and deformation during the print. The toolpath design accounts for factors like the amount of heat generated in a zone, the proximity to previously printed zones, and the time between printing zones to strategically plan the order and placement of printed paths. This reduces heat-related deformations and improves the quality of printed objects.

Source

Resin composition for 3D printing that has improved properties suitable for general purpose 3D printers. The composition contains a thermoplastic resin with a polar group like aromatic polycarbonate and a heterocyclic compound with multiple heteroatoms like a condensed ring compound containing N, O, or S at para positions. The composition exhibits different behavior in elastic strength above and below its glass transition temperature, with increased modulus below Tg and reduced viscoelasticity above Tg. This allows lower temperature 3D printing while still maintaining strength and heat resistance when formed into molded parts. It also reduces gas generation during molding compared to anti-plasticizers.

Source

A 3D printing method to produce thermal management components like heat shields that can ablate when exposed to high energy levels. The technique involves using filament deposition and selectively removing a sacrificial binder from the coating, then sintering the remaining powder to form the thermal coating. The coating is designed to ablate when absorbing energy to protect the underlying substrate from heat.

Source

3D printing method for high-chromium nickel-based superalloys that improves the high-temperature durability of the printed structures. The method involves laser sintering the powder with a low laser energy density during the printing process. This results in a 3D printed structure with both higher room temperature mechanical properties and higher high-temperature mechanical properties compared to conventionally printed parts. The low energy density prevents excessive melting and recoalescence that can degrade the high-temperature performance. The printed parts have room temperature strength and elongation like forgings, and high-temperature strength and durability approaching castings.

Source

Flame-retardant copolyesters with high-temperature self-crosslinking, anti-dripping properties, comprising specific polyester monomers. The copolyesters have high flame resistance without using halogenated or phosphorus-based flame retardants. The copolyesters are made via esterification and polycondensation of monomers including 1) aromatic diacid/diester, 2) diol, 3) high-temperature self-crosslinking flame-retardant monomer, and 4) ionic monomer. The resulting copolyesters have high limiting oxygen index, low vertical combustion grade, and resist dripping when burned. The flame resistance comes from the self-crosslinking flame retardant monomer.

Source

Composite materials for thermal protection systems that can be rapidly formed and have desirable thermal and mechanical properties for applications like hypersonic aerospace. The composites are formed by selectively heating a precursor material with a laser to induce specific material changes. This involves using a laser to heat a composite precursor material containing pitch or polymer resin and additives. The laser heating forms a subsurface layer of graphitic carbon with a cellular structure, and then a surface layer of graphitic carbon. The resulting composite has high thermal insulation in the thickness direction, high thermal conductivity along the surface, and improved mechanical performance compared to typical refractory composites.

Source

Manufacturing by additive manufacturing a microstructured article with tailored expansion/contraction properties upon temperature change. The article has repeating microstructures with two portions that contact each other. The first portion has a property that can restrain or enhance the second portion's matching property. For example, metals with different thermal expansion coefficients. The tailored contact causes the article to expand, contract, or remain unchanged when heated. Applications include adjustable flow control valves, prosthetics, casts, and aircraft tabs.

Source

3D printable liquid resin compositions for high performance 3D printing with good heat resistance. The resin compositions contain high levels of isocyanurate polyacrylate for high heat deflection temperatures. It also includes a curable monomer to prevent crystallization during storage. The composition is cured using light to form 3D printed objects with high heat resistance.

Source

A superalloy powder mixture for additively manufacturing or welding metal components made from difficult-to-weld superalloys used in high temperature applications. The mixture includes a high melt superalloy powder and a low melt superalloy powder combined at a specific ratio. The low melt powder has a lower solidus temperature than the high melt powder. This reduces microcracking during cooling. The low melt powder contains more tantalum than the high melt powder. The mixture allows additively manufacturing and/or welding superalloy components without hot isostatic pressing.

Source

Material for 3D printing thermoset objects with high thermal stability. The thermosetting material uses a combination of epoxy resins - unmodified (A) and elastomer-modified (B) - along with lower viscosity epoxy resin (C) and curing agents (D) like amines or amides. This combination allows high temperature curing to produce thermoset 3D objects with glass transition temperatures over 80°C, suitable for applications where thermoplastics deform.

Source

A nickel-based superalloy that is crack-free when 3D printed using selective laser melting. The alloy has a composition that allows it to be successfully 3D printed into complex components like turbine blades. The alloy has controlled amounts of elements like carbon, chromium, lanthanum, and boron to prevent cracking during printing.

Source

3D printing composite materials using a furan polymer matrix that can be extruded and then cured to form objects with good heat resistance. The composite has a thermosetting matrix made from a furan polymer like furfuryl alcohol, a solvent, and an immiscible material like cellulose powder. Extruding the composite, followed by annealing above the furan polymer's crosslinking temperature, creates objects with crosslinked furan matrix and reinforcing cellulose particles. This provides heat resistance without the high cost and processing limitations of thermoplastic polymers like PEEK.

Source

A method to manufacture 3D-shaped ceramics with improved thermal shock resistance using 3D printing and electron beam curing. The method involves spraying a ceramic composition with powder, fibers, and binder onto a substrate using a 3D printer, then curing the layers with an electron beam instead of sintering. This allows 3D shaping the ceramic without shrinkage and cracking issues during sintering. The cured ceramic has improved thermal shock resistance compared to conventionally sintered ceramics.

Source

3D printing thermosetting plastics using powder compositions that can cure during the printing process. The compositions contain a high percentage (up to 98%) of curable binder resin. This allows partial curing during the printing pass where the resin is melted and irradiated. The resulting 3D printed objects have improved dimensional stability, temperature resistance, and mechanical properties compared to thermoplastic 3D prints. The compositions can contain thermoplastics as well, which improve mixing and properties.

Source

A 3D printing method for creating refractory products with isotropic properties and high heat resistance. The method involves layered printing using a specialized 3D printer with a chamber to form the product layer by layer. The print process involves compacting a primary layer of mixed coarse and fine ceramic powders, selectively applying a binder to certain areas, and repeating until the part is complete. The mixed powder fractions contain different sized particles to promote isotropy. The coarse fraction is 50-80% of the total. The fine fraction is a mixture of dispersed, ultrafine, and nanodispersed powders. The mixed fraction promotes isotropic strength compared to single-size layers. The coarse fraction promotes high heat resistance. Boron carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, and/or calcite are added

Source