Superhydrophobic films can be prepared from a stream of plastic waste (i.e., derived from post-consumer and/or industrial waste) by a method comprising: dissolving first semi-crystalline polymers in a solvent to form solution1; pre-heating a solid substrate to below a boiling point of the solvent; applying solution1 onto the substrate using spin-casting to obtain a porous blended-polymer layer with fragile structure; annealing the porous blended-polymer layer to above the melting point of the first semi-crystalline polymers to strengthen the porous blended-polymer layer's internal structure by closing pores and decreasing surface roughness, thereby obtaining a strong non-porous base support layer; and dissolving second semi-crystalline polymer in a solvent to form solution2; pre-heating the non-porous base layer to a temperature below a boiling point of the solvent; applying solution2 onto the non-porous base layer to obtain a top porous layer crosslinked with the non-porous base layer; and peeling off the freestanding superhydrophobic film.

A superhydrophobic non-fluorinated composition includes a hydrophobic component free of fluorine; a filler particle; and water, wherein the composition is at a pH greater than 7, and wherein the hydrophobic component is in an aqueous dispersion. The superhydrophobic non-fluorinated composition alternatively includes a hydrophobic polymer free of fluorine; an exfoliated graphite filler particle including acid functional groups; water; and a stabilizing compound, wherein the composition is at a pH greater than 7, and wherein the hydrophobic polymer is in an aqueous dispersion. The superhydrophobic non-fluorinated composition alternatively includes a hydrophobic component free of fluorine; a filler particle including an acid functional group; and water, wherein the composition is at a pH greater than 7, and wherein the hydrophobic component is in an aqueous dispersion.

A superhydrophobic non-fluorinated composition includes a hydrophobic component free of fluorine; a filler particle; and water, wherein the composition is at a pH greater than 7, and wherein the hydrophobic component is in an aqueous dispersion. The superhydrophobic non-fluorinated composition alternatively includes a hydrophobic polymer free of fluorine; an exfoliated graphite filler particle including acid functional groups; water; and a stabilizing compound, wherein the composition is at a pH greater than 7, and wherein the hydrophobic polymer is in an aqueous dispersion. The superhydrophobic non-fluorinated composition alternatively includes a hydrophobic component free of fluorine; a filler particle including an acid functional group; and water, wherein the composition is at a pH greater than 7, and wherein the hydrophobic component is in an aqueous dispersion.

Techniques and compositions are disclosed for composite feedstocks with powder/binder systems suitable for three-dimensional printing, such as fused filament fabrication. The composite feedstocks may include a jacket about a core, with at least the core including a powder material suspended in a binder system and the jacket having a hardness or toughness greater than a hardness or toughness of the core for the feedstock. In general, the harder jacket may protect the core from unintended deformation or damage during transportation, storage, or use. For example, the difference in hardness or toughness between the jacket and the core may facilitate gripping the feedstock (e.g., by gear drives or the like) with a higher amount of force than is otherwise applicable if the feedstock were composed of the core alone, without damaging the core, during a fused filament fabrication process or another additive manufacturing process.

Techniques and compositions are disclosed for feedstocks with powder/binder systems for three-dimensional printing, such as fused filament fabrication. For example, a feedstock may include a first high polymer and a second polymer for supporting a shape of a three-dimensional object through various processing stages. The first polymer may be a moderate or high molecular weight polymer, and the second polymer may be a high molecular weight polymer. The first polymer may provide improved print quality and strength, as compared to a low molecular weight polymer, in initial processing. In a solvent, the first polymer may be preferentially dissolved over the second polymer such that the second polymer may remain to support a net shape of the three-dimensional object in subsequent processing. Accordingly, the combination of the first polymer and the second polymer may be useful for rapid three-dimensional manufacturing of high quality parts.

Techniques and compositions are disclosed for feedstocks with powder/binder systems for three-dimensional printing, such as fused filament fabrication. For example, a feedstock may include a first high polymer and a second polymer for supporting a shape of a three-dimensional object through various processing stages. The first polymer may be a moderate or high molecular weight polymer, and the second polymer may be a high molecular weight polymer. The first polymer may provide improved print quality and strength, as compared to a low molecular weight polymer, in initial processing. In a solvent, the first polymer may be preferentially dissolved over the second polymer such that the second polymer may remain to support a net shape of the three-dimensional object in subsequent processing. Accordingly, the combination of the first polymer and the second polymer may be useful for rapid three-dimensional manufacturing of high quality parts.

Techniques and compositions are disclosed for feedstocks with powder/binder systems for three-dimensional printing, such as fused filament fabrication. For example, a plurality of feedstocks may be combined to form a three-dimensional object having a spatial gradient of a first primary binder and a second primary binder. The spatial gradient of the first primary binder and the second primary binder along the three-dimensional object may form the three-dimensional object with an advantageous combination of adequate structural support and a rapid overall rate of debinding the first primary binder and the second primary binder from the three-dimensional object as the three-dimensional object is processed into a final part. Accordingly, the spatial gradient of the first primary binder and the second primary binder may be useful for rapid three-dimensional manufacturing of high quality parts.

Techniques and compositions are disclosed for feedstocks with powder/binder systems for three-dimensional printing, such as fused filament fabrication. For example, a feedstock may include a primary binder and a secondary binder for supporting a shape of a three-dimensional object through processing into a final part. The primary binder may include a high molecular weight polymer useful to achieve high print quality and strength of the three-dimensional object in initial processing. Further, the high molecular weight polymer may be chemically decomposed, and thus rapidly debound from the three-dimensional object, through exposure to a solvent. The secondary binder may be substantially insoluble in the solvent such that the secondary binder may remain to support a net shape of the three-dimensional object in subsequent processing. Accordingly, the high molecular weight polymer in the primary binder, in combination with the second binder, may be useful for rapid three-dimensional manufacturing of high quality parts.

We describe a new approach to fabricate polymeric materials with surface structures for applications as anti-reflective, anti-icing, superhydrophobic, superhydrophilic, de-wetting, and self-cleaning coatings. In some variations, a surface-textured layer comprises first microdomains and second microdomains each containing polymerized cross-linkable photomonomer, where the first microdomains have a higher average cross-link density than that of the second microdomains. The first microdomains and the second microdomains are in a peak-valley surface topology, providing surface texture with no filler particles. In some variations, a method to fabricate a surface-textured layer comprises: applying a cross-linkable photomonomer layer to a reflective substrate; exposing the photomonomer layer to a collimated light beam with no spatial variation, to initiate polymerization in first microdomains; and polymerizing other regions of the photomonomer layer to form second microdomains that are spatially separated from the first microdomains. The first microdomains have a higher average cross-link density compared to the second microdomains.

We describe a new approach to fabricate polymeric materials with surface structures for applications as anti-reflective, anti-icing, superhydrophobic, superhydrophilic, de-wetting, and self-cleaning coatings. In some variations, a surface-textured layer comprises first microdomains and second microdomains each containing polymerized cross-linkable photomonomer, where the first microdomains have a higher average cross-link density than that of the second microdomains. The first microdomains and the second microdomains are in a peak-valley surface topology, providing surface texture with no filler particles. In some variations, a method to fabricate a surface-textured layer comprises: applying a cross-linkable photomonomer layer to a reflective substrate; exposing the photomonomer layer to a collimated light beam with no spatial variation, to initiate polymerization in first microdomains; and polymerizing other regions of the photomonomer layer to form second microdomains that are spatially separated from the first microdomains. The first microdomains have a higher average cross-link density compared to the second microdomains.