In a transaction that values metal 3D printing company Desktop Metal at $2.5 billion, the Massachusetts-based enterprise will list on the NYSE. Proceeds from going public are anticipated as $575 million, funds that CEO Ric Fulop says will be used to drive internal growth but also growth via acquisition. 3D printing is not a homogeneous […]
Apium Researchers Explore Hydrophobic & Hydrophilic 3D Printed Surfaces
While the fascination with 3D printing and all its assorted magic—from software to hardware to a plethora of emerging materials—continues, plenty of criticism still abounds too. And from this springs also an outpouring of discussion and analysis regarding what the technology is best suited for, and what types of textures and materials are strong enough, flexible enough, durable enough, and more, as all it depends on what you are trying to make. Car enthusiasts are busy rebuilding vintage luxury cars, students are making chess sets, designers are fabricating bold fashions, architects are building brick installations, and astronauts are busy bioprinting in space. That’s a lot of ideas being put into motion, and a lot of materials being put into 3D printers around the world. But what about how moisture, or lack of moisture affects these materials?
Recently, Apium researchers spent hours testing the basics in 3D printing materials, publishing ‘Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces of 3D Printed Parts.’ Defining hydrophobic (repels water) and hydrophilic (mixes with or dissolves in water), the team from Apium decided to look at varying solutions to ongoing criticisms about the textures of 3D printed parts, mainly with polymer materials. In discussing the relevance of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic qualities, the researchers state:
“There are two entities responsible for this attribute in all free surfaces:
- A chemical factor which relates to the nature of chemical charges on the surface; if the charges on the surface are predominantly non-polar then such a surface will repel water molecules which is polar in nature due to the partial charges between its atoms whilst for the surface which are polar like water, they form ionic and/or hydrogen bonds with water permitting the residency of water on such surfaces.
- A physical factor which relates to the kind and nature of structure on the surface. The length-scale and geometry of the texture, asperity, topography of the surface either permits water to spread and wet the surface or that water remains suspended and cushioned by air molecules on such a surface thus preventing the wetting of the surface. A typical example of this phenomena is observed on the leaf of the Lotus plant hence the Lotus-Effect which describes a rather extreme case of non-wetting surfaces.”
Further, the contact angle is a measure of either the hydrophilicity or the hydrophobicity of a surface. Contact angles from 0 to 90 degrees are hydrophilic, while those with contact angles greater than 90 degrees are hydrophobic. ‘Super hydrophobicity’ happens at a contact angle over 150 degrees. Study of all three types of angles is helpful to both science and engineering applications, and especially in engineering of materials where either wetting or non-wetting is sought after. The researchers point out that hydrophobic effects are induced in:
- Wall coatings and paints
- Mechanisms to stop bio-fouling
- New forms of fabrics and textiles
- Engineered glass surfaces
Hydrophilics are used for:
- Harvesting and storing condensation
- Enhancing liquid transport systems
- Minimizing evaporation in certain environments
During this research, the team used the Apium Material Extrusion 3D Printer. They state that the P220 model can process most high-performance polymeric materials.
“Most of these materials are used in applications where unique properties are required from materials,” said the researchers. “For the first time we show the wetting properties of these materials in the as-3D printed forms.”
“The contact angles of the 3D printed materials namely Carbon Fibre Reinforced (CFR) PEEK, Black colored PEEK, PVDF, POM-C, Polypropylene (PP) and Ultem (PEI) were measured in accordance to Ref. but with direct measurements of the angles acquired from an image profile of a sessile drop of water using a simple hand-held protractor.”
Results were as follows:
- Apium PEEK 450 Black – hydrophobic, difficult for uses in applications such as bone implants due to bonding/adhesive issues. This material is created with natural PEEK and black pigments.
- Apium CFR PEEK (30 percent) – hydrophilic, and made of natural PEEK filled with 30 percent vol. micro carbon fiber.
- Apium PDVF 1000 – a hydrophilic fluoropolymer belonging to the same family as Teflon. This material is weather-resistant, as well as UV- and radiation-resistant.
- Apium PP – available from 2019 on, this is a hydrophilic material also.
“Clearly, the natural wetting properties of these materials are retained in their 3D printed forms with Apium P220 Series 3D Printers,” state the researchers.
Find out more about Apium and their products and research here. What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.
[Source / Images: ‘Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces of 3D Printed Parts’]
Apium releases low-temperature high-resistance FFF 3D printable PP
Apium Additive Technologies, a German 3D printer and materials manufacturer, has released a new material for FFF/FDM 3D printers. The latest release is suitable for Apium’s P Series printers and adds to the range of 3D printing materials Apium offers, including PEEK, carbon fiber, and POM-C. Second most common plastic Polypropylene (PP) is a low-temperature thermoplastic (130°C-171°C), […]Review: the Apium P220 a capable, high performing industrial polymer 3D printer
The Apium P220 is an industrial 3D printer recommended for use with high performance polymers including PEEK, carbon fiber reinforced PEEK, POM-C, PVDF, and PEI 9085. A functional, robust and highly resistant part output, the system has been a forerunner for Germany’s Apium Additive Technologies GmbH since the beginning of 2017. In a visit to […]
A New Filament Drying Solution Arrives From Apium
It’s an unfortunate fact that a lot of things can go wrong when 3D printing. Many people who are unfamiliar with the technology think that it’s like magic: you just press a button and out pops a finished, perfect part. But with every 3D printing technology comes its own problems, and there are plenty in FDM/FFF technology. Poor adhesion, warping, nozzle clogging, and spectacular meltdowns that seem to happen for no apparent reason – they’re all part of the 3D printing adventure.
One of the biggest issues that causes prints to fail or come out imperfectly is moisture. Many polymer filaments are hydrophilic, which means that they like moisture and will happily absorb it from the air surrounding them – that’s why spools of filament commonly come in airtight containers with little desiccant bags in there with them. This is particularly true for materials like PLA and nylon, which are more hydrophilic than others. So what happens when filament absorbs moisture?
3D printing filaments are made from polymers, which are in turn made up of multiple monomers joined together. Those polymer chains can break down, however, or depolymerize, and one way that this can happen is a process called hydrolysis, which is when a water molecule breaks a polymer chain. So when a supply of filament gets wet and is then extruded, the water inside it vaporizes, causing air bubbles and voids – you’ll know this has happened if you start hearing snapping and crackling noises while printing.
This can weaken material and cause poor inter-layer adhesion, as well as poor surface finish. It’s just not a good thing, but unfortunately it’s all too easy for filament to draw in water from the atmosphere and get messed up. On the bright side, the damage is not irreversible, if you dry the filament out before you extrude it. For this purpose, there are filament-drying products, and one of the newest is the Apium Filament Dryer from German company Apium.
Apium is focused on industrial 3D printing solutions, a leader in PEEK and other high performance polymers. The Apium Filament Dryer was developed in partnership with Singapore’s Purpose AM Systems and promises less oozing, stringy filament caused by moisture absorption, as well as better interlayer adhesion and mechanical properties.
“Through our partnership with Purpose AM, we are launching Apium Filament Dryers and provide our end-users with the complete solution for processing high performance polymers,” said Pinar Karakas, Head of Marketing and Quality Management at Apium. “We offer the unique AM solution with our advanced customer support established by our Service Center experts and forerunner technologies.”
The Apium Filament Dryer has thermally insulated walls, which reduces heat loss, and offers front loading which enables easy filament interchange. It has a rotary desiccant system for the dehumidification of incoming air, as well as a set of HEPA and active carbon filters. It is compatible with all Apium P Series 3D printers and Apium filaments, as well as several other open-system 3D printers.
Apium is ready to ship the filament dryers upon order and offers a 12-month warranty.
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