Maryland, US – A bio-based production-grade elastomeric 3D printing resin has won the 2022 Polyurethane Innovation Award at the annual conference hosted by the Centre for the Polyurethane Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council.
This year’s three finalists included DuPont and the Chemours Company, but CPI honoured Carbon’s “groundbreaking” technology for helping to “bolster our industry’s role in creating a more sustainable future”, according to senior director of CPI, Lee Salamone.
Carbon’s EPU 44 is a 40% bio-based elastomeric 3D printing resin suited for lattices where high resiliency is needed. The company claims that it prints faster, uses less material, and has higher green strength to protect delicate designs.
“EPU 44 is well-suited for products that need to be resilient and durable, such as the midsoles in running shoes,” said Andrew Wright, senior staff research scientist at Carbon. “It offers an advantageous alternative to traditional foam materials because of its tear strength, energy return, and elongation at break and unlocks tunable and unique compression profiles that enable excellent cushioning and comfort.”
Finalist DuPont presented its Thermax glass-fibre-infused polyisocyanurate insulation foam, which eliminates the halogenated flame retardants commonly used in building insulation PU foams.
Meanwhile, the Chemours Company was shortlisted for its Opteon 1150, an HFO foam blowing agent that promises thermal performance and stability.
