Among all 3D printing materials, plastic consumables such as PLA, ABS and PETG have become mainstream 3D printing materials because of their low prices and mature production lines. However, with the continuous serious "white pollution" in the world, how will the future of plastic consumables develop?

On February 28, 2021, 3D printing materials company Polymaker launched a new type of PLA-based green consumables-PolyTerra, which is expected to become an important link between 3D printing and nature in the future. The full name of PLA in English is polylactic acid, and the Chinese name is polylactic acid. It is a thermoplastic polyester made by lactic acid dehydration condensation or lactide ring-opening polymerization. Because of the biodegradable nature of the production materials, it has attracted attention in recent years and has gradually become the most widely used plastic filament material in 3D printing. The melting point of pure PLA printing material is above 150°C, which has good strength, but is more brittle than ordinary plastic materials, and is not flexible enough to withstand impact. Therefore, material manufacturers usually mix PLA with other materials to increase the strength of the material and show a better printing effect.

PolyTerra is a PLA composite system. Polymaker combines several biological materials ingeniously to reduce the content of plastic in the material without affecting the printing performance of the material, which can further improve the environmental protection characteristics of the material. After testing, PolyTerra has better toughness than conventional PLA, and has similar stiffness to PolyMax, another material produced by the same company. The organic elements mixed into PolyTerra also provide a matte effect for 3D printed parts. Currently, 14 colors have been introduced, including 4 new soft colors. These colors can absorb the light on the printed part to hide the printed layer lines, and make the surface of the printed part look smoother.

In the official video, PolyTerra is the same as ordinary PLA, which is suitable for all 3D related models. The printing temperature range is 190-230°C, and supports can be easily removed from 3D printed parts without the use of tools. This enables users to quickly clean up prints with complex structures. Testers also claim that this material enables single-jet printers to print more shapes and product details than ever before.

Currently, Polymaker has passed a third-party laboratory for compostability testing certified by ISO14855-1. Test results prove that PolyTerra degrades faster than similar materials. After 45 days in the test environment, the degradation rate reached 93.6%. In order to further increase the environmental protection of the material, PolyTerra uses recyclable cardboard reels and outer packaging. At the same time, online product information sheets are provided to reduce paper waste.

According to the official website, the suggested retail price of PolyTerra is $19.99. At the same time, Polymaker is also cooperating with One Tree Planted, a global afforestation non-profit organization, to reduce the carbon generated during the manufacturing and transportation of PolyTerra's products. In addition, Polymaker promised to plant a tree for each spool purchased. When trees mature, they can absorb 22 kilograms of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere each year, which is enough to offset the 4 kilograms of carbon dioxide required to produce each PolyTerra spool.

The birth of 3D printing technology once brought a new technological revolution to plastic processing technology, and emerging environmentally friendly biodegradable plastics can in turn lay the foundation for the sustainable development of plastic 3D processing. In today's world, human beings rely on plastic products for their daily life and production. However, excessive production, consumption, and even wasteful behavior have caused "white pollution". It has been reported that plastic fiber components have been detected in mountains, lakes, and groundwater. Improving plastic technology and processing technology, producing and using more environmentally friendly materials is the only way to solve this problem. The significance of PolyTerra is not only in its high performance as a 3D printing consumable, but also in opening the door of communication between the entire 3D material technology and nature. It is believed that this will also be an important development direction of material technology in the future.

In addition, for Polymaker, the developer of this material, the new material released this time is not the company's first test in the production and research and development of environmentally friendly materials. In 2020, Polymaker worked with high-performance polymer manufacturer Covestro to develop waste-free 3D weaving and created a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional weaving. This method does not produce excess fabric, so there is no need to cut and discard. In the same year, at the FormnextConnect virtual trade show, Covestro also launched a new and more sustainable series of 3D printing materials aimed at solving the circular economy problem of products. These new materials are partly made of recycled plastics, or contain up to 20% carbon dioxide, successfully taking advantage of potential environmental conveniences.

From the past ten years to the present, environmentally friendly materials have gradually become a major development direction of materials technology and become the focus of future science, technology and business. The launch of PolyTerra is bound to induce the industry and the general public to pay attention to and investment in sustainable 3D printing materials. Companies such as Polymaker and Covestro are worth looking forward to in the future in R&D and commercial development.