3D & additive manufacturing
Thermal stability with hectorite based multifunctional process aids
Additive manufacturing (AM) represents a family of versatile production processes whereby materials are additively layered and gradually built up to create three dimensional objects. It is for this reason that the term "3D printing" is also used as a synonym for additive manufacturing. AM eliminates the need for tooling and makes small batch production runs affordable with drastically reduced turnaround times AM employs a variety of application-based polymer types where platy engineered materials such as talcs and nanoclays are used to enhance moisture resistance, improve thermal and dimensional stability, and help to modulate the degradability of bioplastics.
The usage of modified engineered materials in additive manufacturing are a growing area of research and commercial interest, with the potential to unlock new functionalities across a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and consumer goods.
Talcs and nanoclays are found in the filaments for fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers or as additives in the resins for stereolithography (SLA) or digital light processing (DLP) printers. However, for them to be effective, they must be well-dispersed within the material matrix. Contacts us for more information.