Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Films and articles are described comprising a microstructured surface having an array of peak structures and adjacent valleys. For improved cleanability, the valleys preferably have a maximum width ranging from 10 microns to 250 microns and the peak structures have a side wall angle greater than 10 degrees. The peak structures may comprise two or more facets such as in the case of a linear array of prisms or an array of cube-corners elements. The facets form continuous or semi-continuous surfaces in the same direction. The valleys typically lack intersecting walls. Also described are methods of making and methods of use. The microstructured surface of the article can be prepared by various microreplication techniques such as coating, injection molding, embossing, laser etching, extrusion, casting and curing a polymerizable resin; and bonding microstructured film to a surface or article with an adhesive.

Abstract: Films and articles are described comprising a microstructured surface having an array of peak structures and adjacent valleys. For improved cleanability, the valleys preferably have a maximum width ranging from 10 microns to 250 microns and the peak structures have a side wall angle greater than 10 degrees. The peak structures may comprise two or more facets such as in the case of a linear array of prisms or an array of cube-corners elements. The facets form continuous or semi-continuous surfaces in the same direction. The valleys typically lack intersecting walls. Also described are methods of making and methods of use. The microstructured surface of the article can be prepared by various microreplication techniques such as coating, injection molding, embossing, laser etching, extrusion, casting and curing a polymerizable resin; and bonding microstructured film to a surface or article with an adhesive.

Abstract: Presently described are methods of making an article comprising providing a structured film (1100) comprising a thermoformable planar base (212) layer and a structured surface (116, 216) layer disposed on a major surface (1200) of the planar base (212) layer wherein the structured surface (116, 216) layer comprises a different organic polymeric material than the thermoformable planar base (212) layer, and thermoforming the structured film (1100) into a thermoformed article (1000). Also described are thermoformed and thermoformable articles.

Abstract: A dental appliance includes a polymeric shell with a plurality of cavities for receiving one or more teeth, including an interior region with a core layer of a first thermoplastic polymer A with a thermal transition temperature of about 70° C. to about 140° C. and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.3 GPa, and first and second interior layers of a second thermoplastic polymer B with a glass transition temperature of less than about 0° C., a flexural modulus less than about 1 GPa, and an elongation a break of greater than 150%; and first and second exterior layers of a third thermoplastic polymer C with a thermal transition temperature of about 70° C. to about 140° C. and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.3 GPa. The dental appliance demonstrates enhanced optical properties, with enhanced light transmission and low haze.

Abstract: A method of thermoforming is described. The method comprises providing a multilayer polymer film comprising at least one first thermoplastic polymer layer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) greater than 60° C. and at least one second polymer layer; and thermoforming the multilayer polymer film into a three-dimensional shape. The second polymer layer can be characterized by one or more properties selected from i) a Tg ranging from 20 to 70° C.; ii) a molecular weight between crosslinks of no greater than 20,000 g/mole; and iii) sufficient crosslinking such that the second polymer layer lacks a thermal melt or softening transition at a temperature up to the decomposition temperature of the second polymer layer. Also described are multilayer films and articles, such as orthodontic aligner and retainer trays.

Abstract: Films and articles are described comprising a microstructured surface having an array of peak structures and adjacent valleys. For improved cleanability, the valleys preferably have a maximum width ranging from 10 microns to 250 microns and the peak structures have a side wall angle greater than 10 degrees. The peak structures may comprise two or more facets such as in the case of a linear array of prisms or an array of cube-corners elements. The facets form continuous or semi-continuous surfaces in the same direction. The valleys typically lack intersecting walls. Also described are methods of making and methods of use. The microstructured surface of the article can be prepared by various microreplication techniques such as coating, injection molding, embossing, laser etching, extrusion, casting and curing a polymerizable resin; and bonding microstructured film to a surface or article with an adhesive.

Abstract: A system for repositioning teeth a patient from an initial tooth arrangement to a final tooth arrangement includes a plurality of incremental position adjustment appliances, each having an arrangement of cavities shaped to receive and reposition teeth of the patient. The cavities in at least one appliance in the system have a different geometry than that of at least one other appliance in the system. At least some of the appliances in the system are successively worn by the patient to exert force on at least one tooth and move the teeth of the patient from a first arrangement to a successive arrangement different from the first arrangement. The system includes a first multilayer shell with a bending stiffness factor less than about 0.1 GPa*mm3 and an elastic modulus no greater than about 1.5 GPa; and a second shell with a bending stiffness factor greater than 0.1 GPa*mm3.

Abstract: Polymerizable compositions suitable for use for 3D printed (e.g. orthodontic) articles, especially orthodontic alignment trays, are described. The polymerizable composition comprises a) 30-70 parts by weight of (meth)acrylate monomer(s); and b) urethane (meth)acrylate polymer; wherein the reaction product comprises at least 1 wt. % polymerized units of a multifunctional compound comprising pendent cyclic moieties. The orthodontic article comprises the reaction product of a polymerizable composition as described herein. The urethane (meth)acrylate polymer typically comprises polymerized units of a multifunctional compound comprising pendent cyclic moieties and/or at least one (meth)acrylate monomer comprises polymerized units of a multifunctional compound comprising pendent cyclic moieties. Also described are methods of making an article, non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising data representing a three-dimensional model of an article, and systems.

Abstract: A dental appliance includes a polymeric shell with a plurality of cavities for receiving one or more teeth, including an interior region with a core layer of a first thermoplastic polymer A with a thermal transition temperature of about 70° C. to about 140° C. in and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.3 GPa, and first and second interior layers of a second thermoplastic polymer B with a glass transition temperature of less than about 0° C. and a flexural modulus less than about 1 GPa; and first and second exterior layers of a third thermoplastic polymer C with a thermal transition temperature of about 70° C. to about 140° C. and a flexural modulus greater than about 1.3 GPa. Interfacial adhesion between any of the adjacent layers in the polymeric shell is greater than about 150 grams per inch.

Abstract: A method includes reactively extruding a polymeric composition to form a film. The polymeric composition includes a polyisocyanate and at least one dimer fatty diol.

Abstract: A dental appliance includes a polymeric shell with an arrangement of one or more cavities configured to receive one or more teeth, and the polymeric shell includes an antimicrobial lipid, such as monolaurin, and optionally an enhancer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of making an orthodontic article. The method includes (a) providing a photopolymerizable composition; (b) selectively curing the photopolymerizable composition using actinic radiation to form an article in the shape of an orthodontic article including a number of layers of at least one photopolymerized polymer; and (c) moving the article and thereby generating a mass inertial force in the uncured photopolymerizable composition. The article has a first surface, and no more than 75% of the first surface has a slope magnitude greater than 2.5 degrees. Orthodontic articles are also provided, including an orthodontic article that is prepared according to the method. Orthodontic articles having low extractable component content are further provided. The mass inertial force tends to form a coating layer of uncured photopolymerizable composition on the article, and curing the coating layer can form a surface having low slope magnitude.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of making a hydrated orthodontic article is provided. One method includes a) providing a photopolymerizable composition; b) selectively curing the photopolymerizable composition using actinic radiation to form an article in the shape of an orthodontic article having a plurality of layers of at least one photopolymerized polymer; and c) exposing the article to water by submersion in water, thereby hydrating the article. A sheet of the at least one photopolymerized polymer has a bending modulus when hydrated of 100 MPa or greater and 2200 MPa or less. Another method includes exposing the orthodontic article to water vapor and hermetically sealing the hydrated orthodontic article in a container. Hydrated orthodontic articles are also provided, including an orthodontic article that is prepared according to one of the methods.

Abstract: Films and articles are described comprising a microstructured surface having an array of peak structures and adjacent valleys. For improved cleanability, the valleys preferably have a maximum width ranging from 10 microns to 250 microns and the peak structures have a side wall angle greater than 10 degrees. The peak structures may comprise two or more facets such as in the case of a linear array of prisms or an array of cube-corners elements. The facets form continuous or semi-continuous surfaces in the same direction. The valleys typically lack intersecting walls. Also described are methods of making and methods of use. The microstructured surface of the article can be prepared by various microreplication techniques such as coating, injection molding, embossing, laser etching, extrusion, casting and curing a polymerizable resin; and bonding microstructured film to a surface or article with an adhesive.

Abstract: The present invention describes medical articles having a microstructured surface, methods of preparing such medical articles, and methods of cleaning medical articles having microstructured surface(s).

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A lightguide functioning as a luminaire. The luminaire includes at least one solid state light source, such as an LED, and a lightguide configured to receive light from the solid state light source. Light from the light source is coupled into the lightguide and transported within it by total internal reflection until the light exits the lightguide. A shape of the lightguide causes and directs extraction of the light, and can also be used to create a particular pattern of the extracted light. Such shapes include linear wedges and twisted wedges. Optical films can be included on the light input and output surfaces of the lightguide.

Abstract: A film stack reflects incident light in some areas and transmits incident light in other areas, and it redirects incident light with one or more structured surfaces. The spatially variable reflection and transmission is achieved at least in part with reflective strips, and the reflective strips are attached to a first major surface of a structured optical film in the film stack. A second major surface of the structured optical film, opposite the first major surface, attaches to a substrate. The reflective strips attach to the structured optical film by a first discontinuous adhesive layer, having first adhesive areas. The structured optical film attaches to the substrate by a second discontinuous adhesive layer, having second adhesive areas. A major portion of the first adhesive areas, and a major portion of the second adhesive areas, is circumscribed by the reflective strips. The film stack may be part of a light duct.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes light delivery and distribution components of a light duct that can be used as a luminaire, such as a bollard-style luminaire that can be useful for the illumination of pedestrian crosswalks, the light engine useful in the luminaire, and methods for making the light engine and the luminaire. The present disclosure further describes methods for crosswalk illumination using the bollard-style luminaires, and methods of communication between bollard luminaires. The bollard luminaire includes a design that generally confines light to illuminate the crosswalk and the pedestrian in the crosswalk, such that light that could produce glare for the pedestrian and/or a driver approaching the crosswalk is minimized.