Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)

R-NanoLab is involved in the field of Additive Manufacturing by employing Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and Continuous Carbon Fiber (CCF) technologies, utilizing new thermoplastic polymers as feedstock. Nanocomposite filaments with advanced functionalities are developed, using a variety of polymers such as: polyamide (PA12), polypropylene (PP), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), as well as high performance polymers (e.g. PEKK, PEEK). The 3D printing filaments are reinforced with nanomaterials that offer smart and innovative properties to the final nanocomposites:

• Magnetic nanoparticles (Fe-based): Local induction heating for triggered healing of thermoplastic matrices and bonding/de-bonding on demand (DoD) applications for effective separation of multicomponent systems.
• Carbon nanomaterials (CNTs, graphene): Enhanced electrical and thermal conductivity (e.g. for sensing applications)
• Ag nanoparticles: Antimicrobial properties (e.g. for medical assistive devices)

The FFF 3D printing setups available in R-NanoLab address both lab- and industrial-scale production. The lab scale systems are utilized for the printability assessment of in-house developed thermoplastic materials and for the realization and optimization of concept models, employing up to 5 different filament materials into one printing session. For realizing large-scale objects and components, an industrial scale printer with four printing heads is available, with  three different modes: a) single-part mode (one print head for one part), b) multi-part mode (printing of multiple copies of the same part using all print heads) and c) multi-material mode (printing of one part consisting of two or more materials).