A hybrid rocket solid fuel grain having a cylindrical shape and defining a center port is additive manufactured from a compound of thermoplastic fuel and passivated nanocomposite aluminum additive. The fuel grain comprises a stack of fused layers, each layer formed as a plurality of fused abutting concentric circular beaded structures arrayed to define a center port. During operation, an oxidizer is introduced along the center port, with combustion occurring along the exposed port wall. Each circular beaded structure defines geometry that increases the surface area available for combustion. As each layer ablates the next abutting layer, exhibiting a similar geometry, is revealed, undergoes a gas phase change, and ablates. This process repeats and persists until oxidizer flow is terminated or the fuel grain material is exhausted. To safely achieve this construction, a fused deposition additive manufacturing apparatus, modified to shield the nanocomposite material from the atmosphere, is used.

This application relates to a method of manufacturing a metal-polymer composite material having high thermal conductivity and electrical insulating properties. The method may include preparing a powder mixture comprising polymer powder and metal powder, and spark plasma sintering (SPS) the powder mixture to produce a composite material. This application also relates to a metal-polymer composite material having high thermal conductivity and electrical insulating properties, manufactured by the method.

An example of a method for three-dimensional (3D) printing includes applying a build material composition to form a build material layer. The build material composition includes a glass core coated with a polyamide material. Based on a 3D object model, a fusing agent is selectively applied on a portion of the build material composition, and a detailing agent is selectively applied on another portion of the build material composition. The build material composition is exposed to radiation to fuse the portion to form a layer of a 3D part.

A system and process for injection molding polymer articles is described. The system and process are designed to reduce gate blush. In one embodiment, an injection molding device injects a molten polymer composition into a mold cavity adjacent to an interior curved surface on the mold. The flow of the polymer material is parallel to a line that is tangent to the curved surface.

A manufacturing method for forming highly filled foam through dual axis mixing of precursor chemicals and fillers to form end products and parts. The manufacturing method provides an improved highly filled foam material as well as improved methods for shaping such foam into various parts and end products. In this manufacturing method, a mixing container (33) may be used to mold highly filled foam directly into a cylindrical shape (40) for processing into parts and end products, or may be used to transport uncured highly filled foam to a separate molding station (50) to form molded end products (56) which incorporate well-mixed, highly filled foam therein

A system for building a three dimensional green compact comprising a printing station configured to print a mask pattern on a building surface, wherein the mask pattern is formed of solidifiable material; a powder delivery station configured to apply a layer of powder material on the mask pattern; a die compaction station for compacting the layer formed by the powder material and the mask pattern; and a stage configured to repeatedly advance a building tray to each of the printing station, the powder delivery station and the die compaction station to build a plurality of layers that together form the three dimensional green compact.

The application relates to a method for 3D printing a 3D item (10) on a substrate (1550), the method comprising providing a filament (320) of 3D printable material (201) and printing during a printing stage said 3D printable material (201) to provide the 3D item (10) comprising 3D printed material (202), wherein the 3D printable material (201) comprises light transmissive polymeric material and wherein the polymeric material has a glass transition temperature, wherein the 3D printable material during at least part of the printing stage further comprises plate-like particles (410), wherein the plate-like particles (410) have a metallic appearance, wherein the plate-like particles (410) have a longest dimension length (L1) selected from the range of 50 m-2 mm and a largest thickness (L2) selected from the range of 0.05-20 m, and wherein the method further comprises subjecting the 3D printed material (202) on the substrate (1550) to a temperature of at least the glass transition temperature.

A polymer composite and its method of manufacture using a recycled multilayer material. An example of the recycled multilayer material is comprised of a polyethylene/polyethylene terephthalate/aluminum film that may be extruded with organic filler to obtain desirable performance in wood-substitute products such as deck boards, railing, fencing, pergolas, residential cladding/siding, sheet products, and other applications.

A polymer composite and its method of manufacture using a recycled multilayer material. An example of the recycled multilayer material is comprised of a polyethylene/polyethylene terephthalate/aluminum film that may be extruded with organic filler to obtain desirable performance in wood-substitute products such as deck boards, railing, fencing, pergolas, residential cladding/siding, sheet products, and other applications.

An energetic composite comprises a metal powder; poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF); and poly(lactic acid) (PLA). The metal powder comprises micrometer- or nanometer-sized particles, and the ratio of PVDF to PLA is between about 1:3 to 3:1. The metal powder comprises between about 4-32% wt of the energetic composite, and the metal powder consists of aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), or boron (B). A method of making an energetic composite material, comprises melt-blending a metal powder with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA).