Essentium has launched Duratem, a filament for 3D printing in FDM / FFF technology with high impact strength and temperature resistance. The material consists of polyetherimide (PEI), polycarbonate (PC) and siloxane. Unlike other heat-resistant materials on the market, Duratem has an impact strength of approximately 30 kilojoules per square meter, making it five times stronger than PEI 9085 and nine times stronger than PEKK. Withstands temperatures up to 150°C. The base polymer it is made of meets UL 94V-0 flammability test standards at 1.6 millimeter diameter and passes FAR 25.853 tests for flammability, heat release, smoke density and toxicity. Also contains a non-halogenated flame retardant for health and safety.
Durem is expected to find applications primarily in the aerospace, automotive and rail industries, enabling manufacturers to quickly produce end parts that meet standards of reliability, repeatability and performance. Although Duratem offers five times the impact resistance of PEI 9085, it is “comparable” to it in terms of price.
In the production of the material, Essentium used the technology of multilayer fibers and cooperated with its partners as part of an open ecosystem – e.g. with the United States Air Force. Thanks to this specific cooperation, Duratem has a chance to be qualified for the production of parts that can be used during the flight of military aircraft.
Duratium can be used in high-temperature 3D printers, including the manufacturer’s proprietary machines – Essentium High-Speed Extrusion (HSE) 180 HT and HSE 280i HT. The material complies with the Essentium Certificate of Conformity, which ensures traceability of individual spools through the ISO and AS9100 quality process.
Source: www.essentium.com via www.tctmagazine.com