Articles formed by manufacturing processes, such as three-dimensional printing, including solvent vapor filming and the like

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing an article use three-dimensional printing for a portion of the manufacturing. Three-dimensionally printing is conducted onto a powder bed which contains both organic-solvent-soluble, water-insoluble particles and water soluble, organic-solvent-insoluble particles. The water-soluble particles which may be selected for properties such as size and may include more than one substance. The organic-solvent-insoluble particles may further include at least one substantially insoluble substance such as a member of the calcium phosphate family. Printing may be done using an aqueous binder liquid. After removal of unbound powder, the preform may be exposed to the vapor of an organic solvent which causes the particles of organic-soluble-polymer to fuse to each other. This may further be followed by dissolving out the water-soluble particles, if such particles were present in the powder. Solvent vapor fusing together with the use of porogen particles may also be used in manufacturing methods other than 3DP. Rather than using organic solvent, heat responsive particles can be used, and can be filmed by elevated temperatures. Articles that may be produced by the described methods exhibit features such as a high porosity and an ability to undergo large deformations without breaking, and by at least partial springback from such deformation. The springback may be substantially instantaneous or may be time-dependent involving a time period of at least several seconds.

1 . An article of manufacture, comprising an organic-solvent-soluble network comprising organic-solvent-soluble, water insoluble material, substantially all of which forms an irregularly shaped perforated film. 
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble network defines pores having a size scale less than approximately 1000 micrometers. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble, water insoluble network further defines macroscopic internal features that are free of any organic-solvent-soluble material, the macroscopic internal features having a cross-sectional dimension greater than approximately 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the article further comprises particles comprising a substantially insoluble material, bound to the organic-solvent-soluble, water insoluble network. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article further comprises particles comprising at least one member of the calcium phosphate family, bound to the organic-solvent-soluble, water insoluble network. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble, water insoluble material comprises at least one of a polymer and a copolymer. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the organic-solvent-soluble, water insoluble material comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polycaprolactone, poly lactic co-glycolic acid, polymethylmethacrylate, and comb polymers. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article comprises a tissue scaffold. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 8 , wherein the article comprises a bone tissue scaffold. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is shaped to conform to a geometry at a bone defect. 
     
     
         11 . An article of manufacture that comprises a water-soluble, organic-solvent-insoluble structure and, bound thereto, particles of an organic-solvent-soluble, water-insoluble material. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , the article further comprising macroscopic channels therethrough, surrounded by the film. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 11 , further comprising particles of a substantially-insoluble material, which are bound to the water-soluble, organic-solvent-insoluble, structure. 
     
     
         14 . An article of manufacture that comprises a water-soluble, organic-solvent-insoluble structure forming a network, and an irregularly-shaped perforated film of organic-solvent-soluble, water insoluble material adjacent to surfaces of the water-soluble, organic-solvent-insoluble structure. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 14 , the film further substantially conforming to surfaces of the water-soluble, organic-solvent-insoluble structure. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the article has macroscopic channels therethrough. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 14 , further comprising particles of a substantially insoluble material which are bound to both the water-soluble, organic-solvent-insoluble structure and the film of organic-solvent-soluble, water-insoluble material.