DIC Corporation recently developed a thermoplastic with anti-virus and anti-bacterial functions (hereinafter referred to as "filaments") for 3D printing. This is the first development of filament in Japan, and it has antiviral and antibacterial properties. According to the international standards for anti-virus and anti-bacterial properties standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the effect of the product has been confirmed in tests, which can inhibit and reduce the growth of specific viruses and bacteria attached to the surface of the product.
3D printed thermoplastic material (filament) with antiviral and antibacterial functions
The 3D printing material market has grown significantly due to factors such as technological innovation in modeling methods, diversification and high functionality of materials, and further expansion of the application range from prototypes of modeled products to final products. It is learned from the research institute that from 2018 to 2023, the growth rate of the world market is expected to maintain an average annual rate of +21.2%.
On the other hand, as the new coronavirus infection continues to spread, due to the growing interest of consumers, the use of antiviral and antibacterial products is not only in medical institutions and public facilities, but also in all aspects of daily life. Require the use of antiviral and antibacterial products.
The 3D printing filament developed by DIC uses thermoplastic polyurethane resin (hereinafter referred to as "TPU resin") with antiviral and antibacterial functions. Since TPU resin has flexibility and abrasion resistance, it can be expected to be used in medical and sanitary applications, such as face masks and masks. In addition, it is possible to develop molded products that require virus infection countermeasures and need to be customized according to customer needs. Looking ahead, our goal is to sell the product by the end of the 2021 fiscal year to expand to many industries such as electronics/electricity, sports, daily necessities, housing/building materials, and automobiles.
In the mid-term management plan, DIC Group sets the basic strategy for qualitative business transformation and business portfolio transformation by creating new businesses. We have developed composite materials for stereolithography among the materials of 3D printers, and by adding thermoplastic materials to our product lineup, we will strive to establish a new business foundation.