If you’ve been eagerly waiting for an extraordinary 3D printing material, your wait is over. Introducing the Essentium HTN CF-25, a high-temperature nylon that’s making waves in the world of advanced materials. In this blog, we’ll explore this remarkable filament and its incredible capabilities.
A Carbon Fiber Powerhouse
The Essentium HTN CF-25 is no ordinary filament. It’s a high-temperature nylon that packs a punch with its 25% carbon fiber reinforcement. This unique composition involves a coaxial nozzle extrusion, with a core of 25% carbon fiber and a high-temperature nylon sheath. The result is a material that’s stiffer than anything you’ve seen before in 3D printing.
Application Galore
This impressive material is designed for a wide range of applications. It excels in tooling, providing high strength and stiffness, making it ideal for jigs and fixtures. But its capabilities go even further. You can use it for injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming, composite molds, and high-strength end-use parts. In fact, it’s often considered a replacement for light-duty aluminum components, earning it the nickname “black aluminum.”
Printing Requirements
Before you start printing with Essentium HTN CF-25, you need to ensure your 3D printer can handle its unique properties. The nozzle temperature should range from 270 to 310 degrees Celsius, depending on your printing speed. Standard speeds are between 40 and 80 millimeters per second, but this material can go up to 500 millimeters per second on specialized machines. Your print bed should be heated to 80 to 90 degrees Celsius, and for bed adhesion, our nanopolymer adhesive is a fantastic choice.
Strength and Rigidity
Essentium HTN CF-25 isn’t just hype; it’s backed by impressive strength figures. In the XY orientation, it boasts an ultimate tensile strength of 148 MPa. While you lose some strength in the Z-axis, it’s still remarkably robust. When printed solid, it’s so rigid that it can be machined for tooling applications and even used for injection molding molds.
Resistant and Resilient
What makes this material stand out is its resistance to solvents, making it suitable for various chemical environments, particularly under the hood applications in the automotive industry. The high carbon content enhances its UV resistance, allowing it to withstand prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. While it’s not fully electrostatic dissipative (ESD) safe, the high carbon fiber content gives it some ESD properties.
Burning Bright
Essentium HTN CF-25 doesn’t have a UL 94 V-0 flame flammability rating, but it can still handle a bit of fire. When exposed to a flame, it won’t self-extinguish, and the material may continue to burn. However, it handles the heat surprisingly well, thanks to the nylon sheath that protects the carbon fiber core.
Future Comparisons
We’re constantly testing and comparing different 3D printing materials, and we’re eager to hear what you’d like to see next. Whether it’s burning tests, exposure to acids, or other challenges, let us know, and we’ll consider it for our upcoming videos. Be sure to subscribe to stay updated on our material tests and comparisons.
Thanks for joining us on this journey into the future of high-temperature nylon. Have a fantastic day!