Patent ID: 11912832
Assignee: EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  B | IPC B  C

Claim 0:
1. A method of additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
applying a first layer of an additive manufacturing component;
applying a polymeric composition on the first layer, wherein applying the polymeric composition comprises:
(a) applying a UV-curable composition on the first layer, the UV-curable composition comprising: (i) a Michael-addition (MA) acceptor compound comprising at least one MA acceptor functional group, (ii) a Michael-addition (MA) donor compound comprising at least one MA donor functional group, (iii) a photo-latent base initiator, and (iv) at least one secondary curing compound selected from the group consisting of a polyisocyanate comprising at least two isocyanate groups, a polyol comprising at least two hydroxyl groups, and a silane compound comprising at least two hydrolysable groups, and
(b) exposing the UV-curable composition to UV radiation (i) to form a base catalyst from the photo-latent base initiator and (ii) to subsequently catalyze with the base catalyst (A) MA polymerization between MA acceptor functional groups and MA donor functional groups, (B) anionic polymerization between MA acceptor functional groups, and (C) optionally polymerization of the at least one secondary curing compound, thereby forming the polymeric composition; and

applying a second layer of an additive manufacturing component on the polymeric composition;
wherein:
at least one of the first layer of the additive manufacturing component and the second layer of the additive manufacturing component is applied as an additional layer of the polymeric composition by (a) applying the UV-curable composition as the additional layer on an underlying layer, and (b) exposing the UV-curable composition of the additional layer to UV radiation;
the second layer of the additive manufacturing component is applied as an additional layer of the polymeric composition by (a) applying the UV-curable composition as the additional layer on a partially cured underlying layer of the polymeric composition, and (b) exposing the UV-curable composition of the additional layer to UV radiation;
initial curing upon exposure to the UV radiation forms a partially cured additional layer with covalent bonds within the partially cured additional layer; and
subsequent curing of the underlying layer and the additional layer forms interlayer crosslinks between the underlying layer and the additional layer forms, thereby improving interlayer adhesion.