Compositions and methods for use in three dimensional model printing

Abstract

Compositions for use in the manufacture of three-dimensional objects including compositions for use as a support and/or release material in the manufacture of the three-dimensional objects are provided. There is thus provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a composition suitable for building a three-dimensional object. The compositions may include, inter alia, a curable component, having a functional group, wherein if the functional group is a polymerizable reactive functional group, then the functional group is a (meth)acrylic functional group, a photo-initiator, a surface-active agent and a stabilizer; wherein said composition has a first viscosity of about 50-500 cps at a first temperature, wherein said first temperature is ambient temperature, and a second viscosity lower than 20 cps at a second temperature wherein said second temperature is higher than said first temperature, wherein, after curing, the composition results in a solid form. There is thus provided, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a composition suitable for support in building a three-dimensional object. The compositions may include, inter alia: a non-curable component, a curable component, wherein the non-curable component is not reactive with said curable component, a surface-active agent and a stabilizer, wherein said composition has a first viscosity of about 20-500 cps at a first temperature, wherein said first temperature is ambient temperature, and a second viscosity lower than 20 cps at a second temperature wherein said second temperature is higher than said first temperature, wherein, after irradiation, the composition results in a solid, a semi-solid or liquid material. A method for the preparation of a three-dimensional object by three-dimensional printing is provided in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention further provide a three-dimensional object prepared according to the methods of the invention.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A composition suitable for building a three-dimensional object, said composition comprising: 
 a curable component, having a functional group, wherein if said functional group is a polymerizable reactive functional group, then said functional group is a (meth)acrylic functional group;    a photo-initiator;    a surface-active agent; and    a stabilizer;    wherein said composition has a first viscosity of about 50-500 cps at a first temperature, wherein said first temperature is ambient temperature, and a second viscosity lower than 20 cps at a second temperature, wherein said second temperature is higher than said first temperature, wherein, after curing, said composition results in a solid form.    
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said curable component is a (meth)acrylic monomer, a (meth)acrylic oligomer, a (meth)acrylic crosslinker, or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , said curable component comprising a combination of a mono-functional monomer and a di-functional oligomer.  
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 3 , wherein said mono-functional monomer is a high Glass Transition Temperature mono-functional monomer and said di-functional oligomer is a low Glass Transition Temperature di-functional oligomer.  
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 4 , comprising at least 40% of said high Glass Transition Temperature mono-functional monomers and at least 20% of said low Glass Transition Temperature di-functional oligomer.  
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 4 , comprising at least 20% of said high Glass Transition Temperature mono-functional monomers and not more than 40% of said low Glass Transition Temperature di-functional oligomer.  
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the Glass Transition Temperature of said mono-functional monomer is higher than 70° C. and wherein the Glass Transition Temperature of said di-functional oligomer is lower than 40° C.  
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a molecule having one or more epoxy substituents, a molecule having one or more vinyl ether substituents, vinylcaprolactam, vinylpyrolidone, or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said photo-initiator is a free radical photo-initiator, a cationic photo-initiator, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a filler.  
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 10 , wherein said filler comprises particles having an average diameter of less than 100 nm.  
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sulfur-containing component.  
     
     
         13 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a low molecular weight polymer.  
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 12 , wherein said sulfur containing component is beta mercaptopropionate, mercaptoacetate, alkane thiols or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one pigment and at least one dispersant.  
     
     
         16 . The composition according to  claim 15 , wherein said pigment is a white pigment, an organic pigment, an inorganic pigment, a metal pigment or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dye.  
     
     
         18 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said first viscosity is about 80-500 cps.  
     
     
         19 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said first viscosity is about 300 cps.  
     
     
         20 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said second viscosity is lower than 20 cps and wherein said second temperature is higher than 60° C.  
     
     
         21 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said second viscosity is between 10 and 17 cps and wherein said second temperature is higher than 60° C.  
     
     
         22 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said second viscosity is between 10 and 17 cps and wherein said second temperature is about 70-110° C.  
     
     
         23 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said second viscosity is between 12 and 15 cps and wherein said second temperature is about 70-90° C.  
     
     
         24 . The composition according to  claim 1 , said composition further comprising a phase separation inducing component.  
     
     
         25 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein said phase separation inducing component is a silicon oligomer, wherein the concentration of said silicon oligomer is at least 5%.  
     
     
         26 . A composition suitable for support in building a three-dimensional object, said composition comprising: 
 a non-curable component;    a curable component; 
 wherein said non-curable component is not reactive with said curable component,  
   a surface-active agent; and    a stabilizer;    wherein said composition has a first viscosity of about 20-500 cps at a first temperature, wherein said first temperature is ambient temperature, and a second viscosity lower than 20 cps at a second temperature wherein said second temperature is higher than said first temperature;    wherein, after irradiation, said composition results in a solid, a semi solid or a liquid material.    
     
     
         27 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising water.  
     
     
         28 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising at least one photo-initiator.  
     
     
         29 . The composition according to  claim 26 , wherein said curable component is a (meth)acrylic component.  
     
     
         30 . The composition according to  claim 29 , wherein said (meth)acrylic component is a (meth)acrylic monomer, a (meth)acrylic oligomer, a (meth)acrylic crsosslinker or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         31 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising a water miscible component that is, after irradiation or curing, capable of dissolving or swelling upon exposure to water, to an alkaline or acidic water solution or to water detergent solution.  
     
     
         32 . The composition according to  claim 31 , wherein said water miscible component is a (meth)acrylated urethane oligomer derivative of polyethylene glycol, a partially (meth)acrylated polyol oligomer, a (meth)acrylated oligomer having hydrophillic substituents, polyethylene glycol mono or di (meth)acrylated, acrylamide or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         33 . The composition according to  claim 32 , wherein said hydrophilic substituents are acidic substituents, amino substituents, hydroxy substituents, ionic substituents or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         34 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising a molecule having one or more vinyl ether substituents.  
     
     
         35 . The composition according to  claim 26 , wherein said non-curable component is polyethylene glycol, methoxypolyethylene glycol, glycerol, ethoxylated polyol, propylene glycol or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The composition according to  claim 26 , wherein said non-curable component is a non-water miscible compound.  
     
     
         37 . The composition according to  claim 36 , wherein said non-water miscible compound is paraffin oil.  
     
     
         38 . The composition according to  claim 28 , wherein said photo-initiator is a free radical photo-initiator, a cationic photo-initiator, or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         39 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising a filler.  
     
     
         40 . The composition according to  claim 39 , wherein said filler comprises particles having an average diameter of less than 100 nm.  
     
     
         41 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising a sulfur-containing component.  
     
     
         42 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising a low molecular weight polymer.  
     
     
         43 . The composition according to  claim 41 , wherein said sulfur containing component is beta mercaptopropionate, mercaptoacetate, alkane thiols or any combination thereof.  
     
     
         44 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising a pigment, a dye or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         45 . The composition according to  claim 44 , wherein said pigment is a white pigment, an organic pigment, an inorganic pigment, a metal pigment or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         46 . The composition according to  claim 26 , wherein said first viscosity is about 30-200 cps.  
     
     
         47 . The composition according to  claim 26 , wherein said second viscosity is lower than 20 cps.  
     
     
         48 . The composition according to  claim 26 , wherein said second viscosity is between 10 and 17 cps.  
     
     
         49 . The composition according to  claim 26 , wherein said second viscosity is between 12 and 16 cps.  
     
     
         50 . The composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising a component able to produce gas upon exposure to water or to an alkaline or acidic water solution.  
     
     
         51 . The composition according to  claim 50 , wherein said component is sodium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         52 . A composition suitable for support in building a three-dimensional object, said composition comprising: 
 at least one non-curable component;    at least one curable component comprising a molecule having one or more epoxy substituents;    wherein said non-curable component is not reactive with said curable component,    at least one surface-active agent;    at least one cationic photo-initiator; and    at least one stabilizer;    wherein said composition has a first viscosity of about 20-500 cps at a first temperature, wherein said first temperature is ambient temperature, and a second viscosity lower than 20 cps at a second temperature wherein said second temperature is higher than said first temperature;    wherein, after irradiation, said composition results in a solid, a semi solid or a liquid material.    
     
     
         53 . The composition according to  claim 52 , further comprising a molecule having one or more vinyl ether substituents.  
     
     
         54 . The composition according to  claim 52 , wherein said non-curable component is a non-water miscible compound.  
     
     
         55 . The composition according to  claim 54 , wherein said non-water miscible compound is paraffin oil.  
     
     
         56 . The composition according to  claim 52 , further comprising a filler.  
     
     
         57 . The composition according to  claim 56 , wherein said filler comprises particles having an average diameter of less than 100 nm.  
     
     
         58 . The composition according to  claim 52 , further comprising a low molecular weight polymer.  
     
     
         59 . The composition according to  claim 52 , further comprising a pigment, a dye or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         60 . The composition according to  claim 59 , wherein said pigment is a white pigment, an organic pigment, an inorganic pigment, a metal pigment or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         61 . The composition according to  claim 52 , wherein said first viscosity is about 30-200 cps.  
     
     
         62 . The composition according to  claim 52 , wherein said second viscosity is lower than 20 cps.  
     
     
         63 . The composition according to  claim 52 , wherein said second viscosity is between 10 and 17 cps.  
     
     
         64 . The composition according to  claim 52 , wherein said second viscosity is between 12 and 16 cps.  
     
     
         65 . The composition according to  claim 52 , further comprising a component able to produce gas upon exposure to water or to an alkaline or acidic water solution.  
     
     
         66 . The composition according to  claim 65 , wherein said component is sodium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate or a combination thereof.