Flow improvement Agents
SILICA AS FLOW IMPROVEMENT ADDITIVE
Evonik is one of the most important additives suppliers to the 3D printing industry. We offer highly specialized additives under the brand AEROSIL® fumed silica, AEROXIDE® metal oxides and SIPERNAT® precipitated silica for use with different 3D printing base materials to improve the manufacturing, quality, and performance of printed objects.
Powder Flow Improvement - Powder Funnel Free-flow
WE HAVE THE RIGHT ADDITIVE TO IMPROVE MANUFACTURING, QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF PRINTED OBJECTS
In powder bed fusion technology, the accuracy of the printing result depends on the powder bed distribution. Density variations and imperfect distributions have to be avoided. AEROSIL® and SIPERNAT® grades offer a broad variety of problem solving products.
Principle of free-flow and anticaking treatment
Principle of antistatic treatment
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Printing Materials base
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Applications
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Example of recommended grades
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Thermoplastics
Thermoplastic Elastomers Resins Metals Ceramics |
Free flow agent
Antistatic agent |
AEROSIL®, AEROXIDE®,
SIPERNAT® |
According to the broad variety of powders that were processed in this technology, only few general advices can be given. Hydrophilic AEROSIL® 200 and SIPERNAT® 22 S grades offer a good basis for first evaluations for free-flow optimization of powders > approx.. 5µm diameter. Smaller particle sizes may require hydrophobic AEROSIL® grades as AEROSIL® R 972 or AEROSIL® R 812 for good free-flow improvement.
Antistatic properties may already come with good free-flow properties, or can be introduced while using AEROXIDE® Alu C.
Remark
A perfect free-flow additivation requires a good mixing of the flowing powder. Aggregation of the additive and the powder itself has to be controlled while mixing.