Provided herein are systems and processes to control multiple temperatures in additive manufacturing. Such temperature control adjusts polymer properties and facilitates processing of materials to form 3D objects. The systems and processed disclosed herein also facilitate the processing of typically difficult-to-process materials and deliver such materials to a photocuring zone configured to photopolymerize materials into 3 dimensional objects with a layer-by-layer process. Such processes can include the steps of heating a resin to a flowable temperature, applying the resin to a carrier, cooling the film to increase viscosity or to solidify the resin, and applying the film containing the resin onto an area being printed, then photocuring the film. Also provided herein are resins and related polymer materials having properties that are tunable with exposure to more than one temperature zone. The formed polymers can include multiple regions of polymer material, each independently having distinct properties. Processes and systems are also provided herein that are configured to produce polymeric materials having multiple regions with distinct properties from a single-component formulation.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the disclosed methods comprise selectively depositing a binding material on foam particles in a target area such that the binding material coats at least a portion of defining surfaces of the foam particles with the binding material. The binding material is then cured to affix foam particles in the target area to one another. In various aspects, the disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that differential levels of affixing between the foam particles, and thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the disclosed methods comprise selectively depositing a binding material on foam particles in a target area such that the binding material coats at least a portion of defining surfaces of the foam particles with the binding material. The binding material is then cured to affix foam particles in the target area to one another. In various aspects, the disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that differential levels of affixing between the foam particles, and thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Methods for post-processing photofabricated articles created via additive fabrication processes are described and claimed herein. Such methods include providing a photofabricated article, preferably an article that has been at least partially cured via cationic polymerization mechanisms, optionally, post-processing the photofabricated article, and base-washing the photofabricated article in an alkaline solution or dispersion to create a neutralized photofabricated article. In another embodiment, the methods include treating a photofabricated article having a residual acid or base species with a treatment composition in order to create a neutralized photofabricated article. Also described and claimed are the neutralized photofabricated articles created via the methods herein elsewhere described. Such articles are preferably biocompatible, especially as determined by their lack of cytotoxicity potential.

A method of separating excess resin from at least one object includes: (a) stereolithographically producing at least one object, each object having at least one retention feature (32) formed thereon, each object carrying excess resin on a surface thereof; then (b) mounting each object on at least one transfer frame (21), each transfer frame having at least one retention member (22) that mates with the retention feature; (c) connecting each transfer frame to a rotor with the at least one object carried thereon; (d) centrifugally separating excess resin from each object by spinning the rotor with each transfer frame connected thereto while the at least one object remains connected to each transfer frame by the retention feature; then (e) removing each transfer frame from the rotor, with excess resin separated from each at least one object thereon.

The present disclosure provides a photopolymerizable composition. The photopolymerizable composition includes a) 40-60 parts by weight of a monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer, per 100 parts of the total photopolymerizable composition; b) a photoinitiator; and c) a polymerization reaction product of components. A cured homopolymer of the monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer has a glass transition temperature of 125 degrees Celsius or greater. The polymerization reaction product of components includes i) a diisocyanate; ii) a hydroxy functional methacrylate; iii) a polycarbonate diol; and iv) a catalyst. The polymerization reaction product includes a polyurethane methacrylate polymer. Often, the polycarbonate diol has a number average molecular weight of greater than 1,000 grams per mole (g/mol) or a weighted average of all polycarbonate diols present in the components has a Mn of greater than 1,000 g/mol; alternatively, the polyurethane methacrylate polymer has a weight average molecular weight of 8,000 g/mol or greater. An article is also provided including the photopolymerizable composition reaction product. Further, the present disclosure provides articles and methods of making articles. Methods are additionally provided, including receiving, by a manufacturing device having one or more processors, a digital object comprising data specifying an article; and generating, with the manufacturing device by an additive manufacturing process, the article based on the digital object. A system is also provided, including a display that displays a 3D model of an article; and one or more processors that, in response to the 3D model selected by a user, cause a 3D printer to create a physical object of an article.

Microfluidics has advanced in terms of designs and structures, however, fabrication methods are either time consuming or expensive to produce, in terms of the facilities and equipment needed. A fast and economically viable method is provided to allow, for example, research groups to have access to microfluidic fabrication. Unlike most fabrication methods, a method is provided to fabricate a microfluidic device in one step. In an embodiment, a resolution of 50 micrometers was achieved by using maskless high-resolution digital light projection (MDLP). Bonding and channel fabrication of complex or simple structures can be rapidly incorporated to fabricate the microfluidic devices.

A polyolefin porous separator includes a first surface and a second surface corresponding to the first surface. The surfaces of the polyolefin porous separator contain dendritic crystals and micropores, the dendritic crystals intersect with the micropores on the first surface or/and the second surface, and the dendritic crystals penetrate through the second surface from the first surface. A preparation method of the polyolefin porous separator includes: (1) a mixed melting of polyethylene resin and a mineral oil; (2) an extrusion of the mineral oil/polyethylene resin molten mixture; (3) a stretching of a thick sheet in a machine direction (MD); (4) a stretching of the separator in a transverse direction (TD); (5) immersing the separator into a solvent to extract the mineral oil; (6) a secondary stretching of the separator in the TD; and (7) subjecting the separator having the longitudinal crystals to a heat-setting treatment and then rolling up.

The present disclosure provides an orthodontic article including the reaction product of the polymerizable composition. Further, the present disclosure provides polymerizable compositions and methods of making an orthodontic article. The method includes obtaining a polymerizable composition and selectively curing the polymerizable composition to form an orthodontic article. Further, methods are provided, including receiving, by a manufacturing device having one or more processors, a digital object comprising data specifying an orthodontic article; and generating, with the manufacturing device by an additive manufacturing process, the orthodontic article based on the digital object. A system is also provided, including a display that displays a 3D model of an orthodontic article; and one or more processors that, in response to the 3D model selected by a user, cause a 3D printer to create a physical object of an orthodontic article.

This disclosure provides low-viscosity resins for producing polymers with properties suitable for use in various mechanical appliances, such as orthodontic appliances (e.g., aligners). The low-viscosity resins may be photo-curable and can be used with direct fabrication methods and equipment. In various embodiments, the polymeric materials produced from the low-viscosity resins described herein have high toughness while remaining resistant to stress relaxation. Low-viscosity, photo-curable resins described herein have reduced hydrogen bonding in comparison to traditional materials (e.g., materials having high urethane content) used in orthodontic appliances.