Polyaryletherketone (PAEK) Powders
“Among plastic powders mainly polyaryletherketones are of interest for rapid protyping. The reason is that parts that have been manufactured from PAEK powder or PAEK granulates are characterized by a low flammability, a good biocompatibility as well as a high resistance against hydrolysis and radiation. It is the thermal resistance also at elevated temperatures as well as the chemical resistance that distinguishes PAEK powders from ordinary plastic powders. Due to these properties there is a high demand for PAEK materials particularly in the aerospace industry, in the automotive industry and in the electronic industry as well as the medical industry. In particular, such a PAEK polymer powder may be a powder from the group consisting of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyetherketone (PEK), polyetheretherketoneketone (PEEKK) or polyetherketoneetherketoneketone (PEKEKK).”
“Therefore, the great potential of the material PAEK in relation to a generative rapid prototyping method such as laser sintering is apparent. However, tests of the inventors using PAEK powders as they are used in conventional methods for manufacturing of parts showed that these powders are suitable for laser sintering only to a limited extent, because the above-mentioned requirements on the powder properties are not fulfilled.”
(Muller, Pfister and Leuterer, US Patent 7,847,057; 12/7/2010)
Recent US Patents
12/7/2010
7,847,057
PAEK powder, in particular for the use in a method for a layer-wise manufacturing of a three-dimensional object, as well as method for producing it
Muller, Pfister abd Leuterer of EOS Electro-Optical Systems, Germany heated polyaryletherketone powder for the use in a method for a layer-wise manufacturing of a three-dimensional object at least 20.degree. C. above the glass transition temperature for at least 30 minutes before laser sintering.