bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1406

3D printing
By:
Yihu (Kevin) Yang, CEO,
Yu Wang, Xianglian Xiao,
Daimei Chen and Jun Qiu
Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co., Ltd.
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
produced FDM filament from PETG, it is a still a new and unique
filament that has some very interesting characteristics with
regards to transparency and strength.
PCL
Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable polyester with a low
melting point of around 60 °C and a glass transition temperature
of about −60 °C. PCL has been approved by FDA in specific
applications in the human body, such as a drug delivery device, a
suture or adhesion barrier. Esun’s PCL FDM filament is an ecofriendly
and non-toxic product, thus it is safe for printing food
contact and skin contact products. Due to its low melting point
the 3D printing nozzle doesn’t need to be too hot, so injuries can
possibly be prevented. An important feature are PCL’s shape
memory properties. This means the printed object has kind of
a memory and under the stimulus of certain conditions it can
be automatically assembled into a preset shape. In the field of
medicine, this application has more practical value. It can for
example, be used to make biological heart stents.
Polyamide 11
Polyamide (PA) 11 is known as a long carbon chain nylon made
from castor oil. Although it may seem strange, 3D printing with
polyamide 11, due to its flexibility, was recently applied to print
a unique bathing suit. The material is strong and elastic, so it
would not break during printing.
Biobased TPU
Biobased TPU is a new generation of thermoplastic
polyurethanes that it can be synthesized from PLA polyols and
PCL polyols, and is, for instance, produced by Esun. Its renewable
resource content is as high as 60 % and it can be recycled after
use. The mechanical properties are excellent: it exhibits a good
hydrolysis resistance and good adhesion, and it can withstand
high pressures. In addition its density is lower than that of fossil
based TPU. In 3D printing, it was shown to be a kind of elastic
line material for a wide range of applications, such as 3D printed
shoes, bracelets, etc.
Outlook
The development of 3D printing for personalized use still
requires further development. Customers want accurate
printing with fast printing speed. In some fields of application
multi-coloured printing is very much in demand. More
important, customers may require the use of more and more
environmentally-friendly and healthy consumable materials. In
many respects certain bioplastics can meet these requirements,
so Esun is looking to perfect the balance between the two factors.
Eventually the ability to print objects at home may change how
we think of manufacturing for small businesses.
Reference
[1] Fleming, M.: What is 3D Printing? An Overview
http://www.3dprinter.net/reference/what-is-3d-printing
www.brightcn.net
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9 29