Metallic build material granules

Abstract

A metallic build material granule includes a plurality of primary metal particles and a temporary binder agglomerating the plurality of primary metal particles together. The primary metal particles have a primary metal particle size ranging from about the 1 μm to about 20 μm. The primary metal particles are non-shape memory metal particles, and the metallic build material granule excludes shape memory metal particles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Build material granules comprising:
 metal particles in a temporary binder.   wherein the binder granules have a particle size range of from about 10 μm to about 200 μm,   wherein the metal particles have a particle size ranging of from about 1 μm to about 20 μm, and   wherein the metal particles compose a single metal element.   
     
     
         2 . The build material granules of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of the temporary binder ranges from about 0.01 wt % io about 4.0 wt % based on a wt % of the metal particles in the granule. 
     
     
         3 . The build material granules of  claim 1 , wherein the temporary binder is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates, sugars, sugar alcohols, polymeric or oligomeric sugars, polycarboxylic acids, polysulfonic acids, water soluble polymers containing carboxylic or sulfonic moieties, polyethers, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyether alkoxy silane, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The build material granules of  claim 1 , wherein the metal particles are selected from the group consisting of iron, stainless steel, steel, copper, bronze, aluminum, tungsten, molybdenum, silver, gold, platinum, titanium, nickel, and cobalt. 
     
     
         5 . Build material granules comprising:
 metal particles in a temporary binder,   wherein the binder granules have a particle size range of from about 10 μm to about 200 μm,   wherein the metal particles have a particle size ranging of from about 1 μm to about 20 μm, and   wherein the metal particles comprise multiple single metal elements or a combination of single metal elements.   
     
     
         6 . The build material granules of  claim 5 , wherein the metal particles are selected from the group consisting of iron, stainless steel, steel, copper, bronze, aluminum, tungsten, molybdenum, silver, gold, platinum, titanium, nickel, cobalt, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . Build material granules comprising:
 primary metal particles in a temporary binder, and   secondary metal particles;   wherein the binder granules have a particle size range of from about 10 μm to about 200 μm, and   wherein the primary metal particles and the secondary metal particles have particle sizes ranging of from about 1 μm to about 20 μm.   
     
     
         8 . The build material granules of  7 , wherein the primary metal particles and the secondary metal particles both comprise a single metal element 
     
     
         9 . The build material granules of  7 , wherein the primary metal particles and the secondary metal particles comprise multiple single metal elements or a combination of single metal elements. 
     
     
         10 . The build material granules of  claim 7 , wherein: the metal particles are selected from the group consisting of iron, stainless steel, steel, copper, bronze, aluminum, tungsten, molybdenum, silver, gold, platinum, titanium, nickel, cobalt, and combinations thereof; and
 the temporary binder is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates, sugars, sugar alcohols, polymeric or oligomeric sugars, polycarboxylic acids, polysulfonic acids, water soluble polymers containing carboxylic or sulfonic moieties., polyethers, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyether alkoxy silane, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         11 . The build material granules of  claim 7 , wherein an amount of the temporary binder ranges from about 0.01 wt % to about 4.0 wt % based on a wt % of the plurality of primary metal particles in the granule. 
     
     
         12 . The build material granules of  claim 7  further comprising:
 surfactants or wetting agents in an amount ranging from about 0.01 wt % to about 2 wt % based on the total wt % of the primary metal particles. 
 
     
     
         13 . A method of using the build material granules of  claim 7  comprising
 adding the build material granules to a patterning fluid. 
 
     
     
         14 . The build material granules of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the primary metal particles and the secondary metal particles compose stainless steel; and   the temporary binder comprises polyacrylates   
     
     
         15 . The build material granules of  claim 7 , wherein the primary metal particles and the secondary metal particles have particle sizes ranging of from about 2 μm to about 5 μm.