Adiprene prepolymers offer new possibilities in 3D printing
Published on : Wednesday 27-11-2019
LANXESS prepolymers facilitate 3D desktop printing in uncontrolled home, office and retail environments – lower hazard classifications
Specialty chemicals company LANXESS is offering the next generation of Low Free (LF) isocyanate urethane prepolymers that can be formulated into resins for 3D printing (additive manufacturing). In order to create such resins LANXESS works together with 3D printing companies. Based on Adiprene LF pPDI (para-phenylene diisocyanate) prepolymers, these high performance resins are easy to process and safe for industrial manufacturers as well as for the casual home, office or retail user.
The footwear industry is a key user of 3D printing technology for midsole, upper, and structural components such as heels and toes. Footwear components are designed to require both very soft and more rigid elastomers. The wide flexibility to formulate LF prepolymers into printable resins enables 3D printers to drive toward mass customization, enabling printing across a wide range of hardness from very soft elastomers for cushioning to the more structural shoe elements.
High flexural strength and a wide range of use-temperatures are important to the performance of these components. Adiprene LF pPDI prepolymers are designed to provide superior resistance to low and high temperatures, excellent toughness, and superior resistance to chemicals and abrasion. With excellent property retention up to 6 weeks at 150 °C, athletic shoes, for example, can be stored in a hot car for long time periods without losses. In addition, footwear components benefit from higher flexural fatigue resistance and cold temperature flex performance down to - 20 °C.
LANXESS offers urethane prepolymers for 3D printing with other chemistries, including LF MDI and LF HDI. These elastomers provide unique performance, such as optical clarity, UV and hydrolytic stability for outdoor uses, and the elimination of surface imperfections.
LANXESS Urethane Systems is leading in the development of low free (LF) isocyanate urethane prepolymers, which have free isocyanate levels < 0.1%. LF technology creates polymer morphology that can be precisely controlled, resulting in highly structured phase separation between the crystalline hard and amorphous soft segments. This tailored chemical structure provides better physical properties, easier processing and reduces the hazard classifications for formulated urethane systems.
LANXESS is the only manufacturer to offer Low Free (LF) isocyanate prepolymer systems based on pPDI, with global production capacity, and fast, customized development of new products for specific customer needs.