German chemical company Evonik (Evonik) has developed a new PEBA polymer powder for additive manufacturing. The material is known for its high elasticity and strength, and is compatible with a range of powder-based AM processes, including laser sintering (LS), high speed sintering (HSS), and adhesive spraying.
The new powder consists of polyether block amide (PEBA), a thermoplastic elastomer with good resistance, strength and durability. It is reported that 3D printed parts using Evonik powder have good flexibility, excellent chemical resistance and durability, and the temperature range is -40 ° C to 90 ° C. Evonik says its new AM powder is ideally suited for the production of functional plastic prototypes and series production parts.
When developing PEBA powder, Evonik worked closely with German 3D printer manufacturer EOS to optimize the synthetic materials for its laser sintering system. The two companies have collaborated extensively and EOS is currently selling PEBA-based powders under the product name PrimePart ST. Evonik added that the material has been adopted by many service providers.
Interestingly, although elastic materials are compatible with most powder-based 3D printing technologies, including selective laser sintering, HSS, and adhesive spraying, a powder-based AM technology is still not on the list: HP's Multi Jet Fusion (MJF ). Currently, the only approved material for HP's 3D printing platform is PA12, although the company has launched an open materials development kit to provide qualified polymer powders for its platform. Since Evonik is a partner of HP MDK, perhaps new PEBA-based powders are still being identified.
Innovative PEBA powder is the latest addition to the growing portfolio of 3D printing synthetic materials. The company is known for its polyamide 12 powder and produces all powder materials at its plant in Marl Chemical Park.