3D printing | materials
The range of polymers available for additive manufacturing continues to grow. Mark Holmes looks at some of the latest developments and reviews where current research is heading
New polymers extend scope for 3D print applications
The growth of additive manufacturing – or 3D printing – with plastics has moved from prototyping and product development into customised mainstream production. New polymers are increasingly being introduced to the market that can replicate the role and performance of conventional traditionally-pro- cessed plastics materials. And many of these are integrating new polymer functionalities, such as electrical conductivity or antimicro- bial activity, to meet specifi c end-application requirements.
Additive activity One of the more active exponents of research in polymers for 3D printing is AIMPLAS – the Plastics Technology Centre based in Valencia, Spain. Its additive manufacturing research group highlights four primary areas of current activity. Firstly, the introduction of new functionalities and the development of polymers with improved electrical and mechanical performance, biocom- patibility or thermal conductivity. The second area of activity is incorpo- ration of fi llers such as wood or nanocellulose to improve aesthetic qualities. A third area of research focuses on structural polymers. And fi nally, the team is working on improvement of the rheological and mechanical properties of recycled materials to obtain a high added value material from waste products. Aside from these four areas of research, AIMPLAS
www.compoundingworld.com
emphasises that a number of key material and equipment improvements are needed in order obtain a competi- tive 3D printing process. “Materi- als need to be developed that can be printed at high speed. Faster printing will improve the produc- tivity of the 3D printing process. In addition, improvements in surface fi nish without post processing treatment are required,” the association says. “We are also looking at
controlling the humidity of the fi laments during processing. Many 3D printing polymers are very sensitive to humidity. The humidity of ABS and PLA is very
well controlled in conventional plastic production processes like extrusion and injection moulding. However, humidity can cause the degradation of many polymers,
reducing the mechanical proper- ties. In 3D printing there is no control on humidity before and during processing. These issues need to be addressed in order to optimise the mechanical properties of the fi nal product,” according to the AIMPLAS research team. “Finally, we need to improve
mechanical properties. The mechanical
properties of the fi nal printed product are highly infl uenced by the intrinsic properties of the material but also by the different printing parameters - melting temperature of the fi lament, printing speed, bed temperature and fi lling speed, for example,” according to the association.
May 2016 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 17
Main image: DSM has developed 3D print fi laments based on its Arnitel copolyester and Novamid polyamide
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94
