4124
Additive manufacturing of foamed plastic components using supercritical fluids
In additive manufacturing, plastics are currently printed
mostly as solid or less frequently chemically foamed
materials. Foams offer significant advantages over
conventionally printed components. However, chemical
blowing agents limit material selection, control of
porosity, and recyclability. Physical foaming with
supercritical fluids offers a sustainable alternative with
precise process control, which so far has only been
realized in conventional large-scale extrusion systems.
Subject area
Institute for Printing Machines and Printing Processes
Patent number
DE102025115505
Contact person
Jonas Dietz & Philipp Wüst
dietz@idd.tu-darmstadt.de/wuest@idd.tu-darmstadt.de
+49 6151 16-23774
Downloads
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Optionale Headline
Our technology enables the 3D printing of foamed
polymer components by controlled injection of
supercritical fluids, particularly CO₂ or N₂, directly into
the polymer melt. Standard Material can be melted,
mixed with the supercritical fluid, and then extruded. By
controlling the flow of the foaming agent, porosity can
be tuned in the print without chemical blowing agents or
special filaments. This process allows the production of
lightweight, recyclable parts with variable density and
new functionalities.