Composition and method for additive manufacturing of an object

Abstract

Formulations and methods employing these formulation for fabricating an object by additive manufacturing, such as three-dimensional inkjet printing are provided. The formulations comprise at least 50 weight percents of hydrophilic curable materials, and upon curing, provide a material that is characterized by water absorbance of at least 5%, and by high HDT and impact resistance values. Objects containing cured material made of these formulations are also provided.

1 . A method of additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object, the method comprising sequentially forming a plurality of layers in a configured pattern corresponding to the shape of the object, thereby forming the object,
 wherein said formation of each layer comprises dispensing at least one uncured building material, and exposing the dispensed building material to curing energy to thereby form a cured modeling material, and wherein said uncured building material comprises an uncured modeling formulation,   and wherein:   said uncured building material comprises a modeling formulation selected such that a cured modeling material obtained upon curing said formulation is characterized by a water absorption of at least 5%; and/or   said uncured modeling formulation comprising at least one hydorophilic mono-functional curable material and/or at least one hydrophilic multi-functional curable material, wherein a total concentration of said at least one hydrophilic mono-functional curable material and said at least one hydrophilic multi-functional curable material is at least 50 weight percents of the total weight of the uncured modeling formulation.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a cured modeling material cured modeling material obtained upon curing said formulation is characterized by HDT higher than 40° C. and an impact resistance higher than 20 J/m. 
     
     
         5 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic mono-functional curable material is represented by Formula I: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein at least one of R 1  and R 2  is said a hydrophilic group. 
       
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one hydrophilic multi-functional curable material comprises a hydrophilic oligomeric or polymeric moiety. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic multi-functional curable material is represented by Formula II: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: 
         each of R 3 , R 4  and R 5  is independently hydrogen, (C1-4)alkyl, or a hydrophilic group; 
         each of L 1 , L 2  and L 3  is independently a linking moiety or absent; 
         each of P 1  and P 2  is independently a hydrophilic group or absent; and 
         each of n, m and k is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, 
       
       provided that n+m+k is at least 2, and provided that at least one of R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , P 1  and P 2  is a hydrophilic group. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of P 1  and P 2  is a hydrophilic oligomeric or polymeric moiety. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said hydrophilic oligomeric or polymeric moiety comprises a poly(alkylene glycol). 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said uncured modeling formulation further comprises at least one additional mono-functional curable material and/or multi-functional curable material. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a concentration of said at least one additional mono-functional curable material and/or multi-functional curable material is no more than 50 weight percents or no more than 40 weight percents of the total weight of said uncured modeling formulation. 
     
     
         24 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said curable materials is a UV-curable material. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . An object fabricated by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         34 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A 3D printed object, wherein at least a part of the object is characterized by:
 a water absorbance of at least 5%;   HDT higher than 40° C.; and   an impact resistance higher than 20 J/m.   
     
     
         38 . An uncured modeling formulation useful for fabricating an object by an additive manufacturing process, the formulation comprising at least one hydorophilic mono-functional curable material and/or at least one hydrophilic multi-functional curable material, and wherein a total concentration of said at least one hydrophilic mono-functional curable material and said at least one hydrophilic multi-functional curable material is at least 50 weight percents of the total weight of the uncured modeling formulation. 
     
     
         39 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The formulation of  claim 38 , wherein said hydrophilic mono-functional curable material is represented by Formula I: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein at least one of R 1  and R 2  is a hydrophilic group. 
       
     
     
         44 . The formulation of  claim 38 , wherein said at least one hydrophilic multi-functional curable material comprises a hydrophilic polymeric moiety. 
     
     
         45 . The formulation of  claim 38 , wherein said hydrophilic multi-functional curable material is represented by Formula II: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: 
         each of R 3 , R 4  and R 5  is independently hydrogen, (C1-4)alkyl, or a hydrophilic group; 
         each of L 1 , L 2  and L 3  is independently a linking moiety or absent; 
         each of P 1  and P 2  is independently a hydrophilic group or absent; and 
         each of n, m and k is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, 
         provided that n+m+k is at least 2, and provided that at least one of R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , P 1  and P 2  is a hydrophilic group. 
       
     
     
         46 . The formulation of  claim 45 , wherein at least one of P 1  and P 2  is a hydrophilic polymeric moiety. 
     
     
         47 . The formulation of  claim 46 , wherein said hydrophilic polymeric moiety comprises a poly(alkylene glycol). 
     
     
         48 . The formulation of  claim 38 , wherein said uncured modeling formulation further comprises at least one additional mono-functional curable material and/or multi-functional curable material. 
     
     
         49 . The formulation of  claim 48 , wherein a concentration of said at least one additional mono-functional curable material and/or multi-functional curable material is no more than 50 weight percents of the total weight of said uncured modeling formulation. 
     
     
         50 - 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . The formulation of  claim 48 , wherein said at least one additional curable material comprises a monomeric multi- functional curable material, and wherein a concentration of said monomeric multi-functional curable material ranges from 10 to 40 or from 20 to 30 weight percents of the total weight of said uncured modeling formulation. 
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . The formulation of  claim 38 , wherein said at least one additional curable material comprises an oligomeric multi-functional curable material, and wherein a concentration of said oligomeric curable material is lower than 30 weight percents weight percents of the total weight of said uncured modeling formulation. 
     
     
         55 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The formulation of  claim 38 , comprising a hydrophilic mono-functional monomeric curable material and a hydrophilic di-functional oligomeric or polymeric curable material. 
     
     
         58 . The formulation of  claim 57 , wherein said di-functional oligomeric or polymeric curable material comprises a poly(alkylene glycol) moiety.