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A material for use in fabricating three-dimensional objects includes a mixture of thermoplastic particles and a water-soluble polymer matrix formed as a film that is fusible into a non-water soluble state when exposed to heating. The film further includes a surfactant system bound to the thermoplast

A material for use in fabricating three-dimensional objects includes a mixture of thermoplastic particles and a water-soluble polymer matrix formed as a film that is fusible into a non-water soluble state when exposed to heating. The film further includes a surfactant system bound to the thermoplastic particles, the surfactant system providing an inversion property such that the thermoplastic particles are hydrophilic but, upon a fusing of the film, become hydrophobic as the surfactant become incorporated into the bulk.

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1. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object, the method including the steps of:providing a film that is fusible into a non-water soluble state when exposed to heating, the film being a mixture of thermoplastic particles and a water-soluble polymer matrix, the film further including a surfa

1. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object, the method including the steps of:providing a film that is fusible into a non-water soluble state when exposed to heating, the film being a mixture of thermoplastic particles and a water-soluble polymer matrix, the film further including a surfactant system bound to the thermoplastic particles, the surfactant system providing an inversion property such that the thermoplastic particles are hydrophilic but, upon a fusing of the film into a bulk, become hydrophobic as the surfactant become incorporated into the bulk;positioning layers of the film sequentially along a build axis and, for each of the layers before a subsequent layer is positioned, heating areas of the layers that are to be fused together to form a fused three-dimensional object; anddissolving non-fused portions of the layers with water to reveal the fused three-dimensional object.2. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the step of heating provides an amount of energy to the layers that is a function of a glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic particles.3. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 2, wherein the glass transition temperature is about 30° C.?150° C.4. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the step of heating provides an amount of energy to the layers that is a function of a composition of the mixture of the thermoplastic particles and the water-soluble polymer matrix.5. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 4, wherein the composition ranges from approximately 1:1 to 2:1 (thermoplastic:matrix).6. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the film is water-wettable.7. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the film has a thickness ranging from approximately 10?250 microns.8. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic particles include polystyrene.9. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic particles include polystyrene-co-butyl acrylate (SBA).10. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic particles include polymethyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate (MBA).11. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic particles include polymethyl methacrylate ( ).12. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix includes polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).13. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix includes polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP).14. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix includes a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and pentaerythritol.15. The method of fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 14, wherein the PVA has a molecular weight of ~85,000 g/mol.