Three-dimensional printing with build plates having surface topologies for increasing permeability and related methods

Abstract

A build plate for a three-dimensional printer includes: a rigid, optically transparent, gas-impermeable planar base having an upper surface and a lower surface; and a flexible, optically transparent, gas-permeable sheet having an upper and lower surface, the sheet upper surface comprising a build surface for forming a three-dimensional object, the sheet lower surface positioned on the base upper surface. The build plate includes a gas flow enhancing feature configured to increase gas flow to the build surface.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A build plate for a three-dimensional printer comprising:
 a rigid, optically transparent, gas-impermeable planar base having an upper surface and a lower surface;   a flexible, optically transparent, gas-permeable sheet having an upper and lower surface, the sheet upper surface comprising a build surface for forming a three-dimensional object, the sheet lower surface positioned on the base upper surface;   wherein the build plate comprises a gas flow enhancing feature configured to increase gas flow to the build surface.   
     
     
         2 . The build plate of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is adhered to the planar base by the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         3 . The build plate of  claim 2 , wherein the gas flow enhancing feature comprises a channel layer between the planar base and the adhesive layer that defines channels therein. 
     
     
         4 . The build plate of  claim 3 , wherein the channel layer is gas permeable. 
     
     
         5 . The build plate of  claim 4  wherein the channel layer comprises a permeable material such as a permeable polymer (e.g., poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). 
     
     
         6 . The build plate of  claim 3 , wherein the channel layer defines channels on a bottom surface opposite the adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . The build plate of  claim 3 , wherein the channel layer is adhered to the base by chemical bonding including oxidative treatments, including oxygen plasma treatments, UV ozone treatments and/or wet chemical treatments. 
     
     
         8 . The build plate of  claim 2 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a gas-permeable adhesive. 
     
     
         9 . The build plate of  claim 2 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film. 
     
     
         10 . The build plate of  claim 3 , wherein the channel layer comprises a first material and the base comprises a second material that is different from the first material. 
     
     
         11 . The build plate of  claim 10 , wherein the second material comprises sapphire, glass and/or quartz. 
     
     
         12 . The build plate of  claim 3 , further comprising an elastomeric layer between the channel layer and the base configured to increase an elasticity of the build surface. 
     
     
         13 . The build plate of  claim 3 , wherein the permeable sheet and/or channel layer comprises a PDMS composite comprising fluorescent, oxygen-sensing particles for sensing oxygen. 
     
     
         14 . The build plate of  claim 12 , wherein the permeable sheet, elastomeric layer and/or channel layer comprises a PDMS composite comprising electrically conductive particles for heating a portion of the build plate. 
     
     
         15 . The build plate of  claim 1 , wherein the gas-permeable sheet lower surface has an uneven surface topology thereon. 
     
     
         16 . The build plate of  claim 2 , wherein the gas flow enhancing feature comprises the adhesive layer and the adhesive layer is a patterned adhesive layer. 
     
     
         17 . The build plate of  claim 16 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises droplets deposited on the base upper surface. 
     
     
         18 . The build plate of  claim 16 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a series of strips deposited on the base upper surface that define channels between the base and the gas-permeable sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The build plate of  claim 16 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a random or non-random pattern of adhesive regions. 
     
     
         20 . The build plate of  claim 1 , wherein the gas flow enhancing feature comprises the sheet and the sheet has a plurality of channels therein that increase gas flow to the build surface. 
     
     
         21 . The build plate of  claim 19 , wherein the channels are formed by laminating a first layer having a surface topology to a second layer such that the first and second layers together form the permeable sheet. 
     
     
         22 . The build plate of  claim 2 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a first adhesive layer on the base upper surface, and the gas flow enhancing feature comprises the channel layer, the channel layer being a mesh layer on the adhesive layer opposite the base, the build plate further comprising a second gas permeable adhesive layer on the mesh layer opposite the base that adheres the sheet to the mesh layer. 
     
     
         23 . The build plate of  claim 22 , wherein the mesh layer comprises a polyester screen mesh or a fiberglass fabric. 
     
     
         24 . The build plate of  claim 22 , wherein the mesh layer is optically transparent. 
     
     
         25 . The build plate of  claim 22 , wherein the mesh layer comprises fibers having a thickness of about 10-50 microns. 
     
     
         26 . The build plate of  claim 25 , wherein a spacing or pitch between the fibers is between about 50-500 microns. 
     
     
         27 . The build plate of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the sheet is less than about 150 μm. 
     
     
         28 . The build plate of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises sapphire, glass, quartz or polymer. 
     
     
         29 . The build plate of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet comprises a fluoropoloymer. 
     
     
         30 . A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
 providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, said carrier and said build surface defining a build region therebetween;   filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid,   continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer,   wherein said optically transparent member comprises a build plate for a three-dimensional printer comprising:
 a rigid, optically transparent, gas-impermeable planar base having an upper surface and a lower surface; 
 a flexible, optically transparent, gas-permeable sheet having an upper and lower surface, the sheet upper surface comprising a build surface for forming a three-dimensional object, the sheet lower surface positioned on the base upper surface; 
 wherein the build plate comprises a gas flow enhancing feature configured to increase gas flow to the build surface. 
   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said filling, irradiating, and/or advancing steps are carried out while also concurrently:
 (i) continuously maintaining a dead zone of polymerizable liquid in contact with said build surface, and   (ii) continuously maintaining a gradient of polymerization zone between said dead zone and said solid polymer and in contact with each thereof, said gradient of polymerization zone comprising said polymerizable liquid in partially cured form.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the carrier with said polymerized region adhered thereto is unidirectionally advanced away from said build surface on said stationary build plate. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , said filling step further comprising vertically reciprocating said carrier with respect to said build surface; to enhance or speed the refilling of said build region with said polymerizable liquid. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a polymerizable liquid, comprising:
 (a) a support;   (b) a carrier operatively associated with said support on which carrier said three-dimensional object is formed;   (c) an optically transparent member having a build surface, with said build surface and said carrier defining a build region therebetween;   (d) a liquid polymer supply (e.g., a well) operatively associated with said build surface and configured to supply liquid polymer into said build region for solidification or polymerization;   (e) a radiation source configured to irradiate said build region through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid;   (f) optionally at least one drive operatively associated with either said transparent member or said carrier;   (g) a controller operatively associated with said carrier, and/or optionally said at least one drive, and said radiation source for advancing said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer   wherein said optically transparent member comprises a build plate for a three-dimensional printer comprising:
 a rigid, optically transparent, gas-impermeable planar base having an upper surface and a lower surface; 
 a flexible, optically transparent, gas-permeable sheet having an upper and lower surface, the sheet upper surface comprising a build surface for forming a three-dimensional object, the sheet lower surface positioned on the base upper surface; 
 wherein the build plate comprises a gas flow enhancing feature configured to increase gas flow to the build surface.