

Addnorth is a Swedish manufacturer of filaments for 3D printing, renowned for producing very high quality filaments, as well as for the strong development of materials for applications in science and engineering.
Addbor N25 is a unique material developed in cooperation with the company Additive Composite, based in Uppsala. It is a material composed of a polyamide matrix loaded with 25% by weight of boron carbide (13% by volume).
Boron carbide, or black diamond, has a hardness of 9.3 Mohs, one of the highest and close to the hardness of diamond. However, its hardness is not its most significant property, but it stands out for having the capacity to absorb neutrons without forming long-lived radioisotopes. This makes it one of the most efficient neutron radiation absorbers, and it is frequently used in the anti-radiation shielding of nuclear reactors.
The base of Addbor N25 is formed by a co-polyamide specially formulated to facilitate the 3D printing of the material, as it has a very low shrinkage. This low shrinkage during printing allows to obtain very low dimensional tolerances, as well as high precision. In addition, the use of a polyamide base gives the material excellent mechanical resistance, as well as the ability to work continuously at temperatures above 100ºC.
Thanks to this, the Addbor N25 makes it possible to produce complex parts capable not only of absorbing neutron radiation, but also of working under the most demanding conditions.
Thickness (mm) | Attenuation length (mm) ( for 1/e) | Attenuation | Transmission |
---|---|---|---|
0.5 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.570 |
1.0 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.332 |
2.0 | 0.9 | 9.7 | 0.110 |
5.0 | 0.9 | 260.0 | 3.8 x 10-3 |
10.0 | 0.9 | 6.8 x 104 | 1.5 x 10-5 |
15.0 | 0.9 | 1.7 x 107 | 5.6 x 10-8 |
In addition, in high energy radiation, the plastic matrix can act as a nuclear moderator, reducing the neutron speed and improving the material performance.
For certain applications, it can be useful to incorporate heavy metal elements to protect from the gamma radiation generated, both externally and by the neutron absorption of the material.
Potential applications include the production of protective elements both in research environments and in the nuclear or medical industry, such as camera housings and inspection equipment, diaphragms and blockers for radiation beams in X-ray equipment and synchrotrons, structural components, etc.
For all these reasons, Addbor N25 is a unique 3D printing material, with great potential both in particle physics research and in the nuclear and medical industries.
General information |
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Material | PA |
Format | 750 g |
Density | (ISO 527) 1.3 g/cm³ |
Filament diameter | 1.75 / 2.85 mm |
Filament tolerance | ± 0.025 mm |
Filament length | (Ø 1.75 mm - 0.75 kg) ± 239.9 m / (Ø 2.85 mm - 0.75 kg) ± 90.4 m |
Mechanical properties |
|
Elongation at break | (ISO 527) 25 - 46 % |
Tensile strength | (ISO 527) 50 - 58 MPa |
Tensile modulus | (ISO 527) 1460 - 1720 MPa |
Flexural strength | (ISO 178) 52 - 81 MPa |
Flexural modulus | (ISO 178) 1425 - 3650 MPa |
Surface hardness | - |
Printing properties |
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Printing temperature | 255 - 275 ºC |
Print bed temperature | 60 - 75 ºC |
Chamber temperature | ✗ |
Cooling fan | ✗ |
Recommended printing speed | 20 - 30 mm/s |
Thermal properties |
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Softening temperature | 100 - 110 ºC |
Specific properties |
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Transparency | ✗ |
Chemical resistance | ✓ |
Other |
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HS Code | 3916.9 |
Spool diameter (outer) | 200 mm |
Spool diameter (inner hole) | 52 mm |
Spool width | 55 mm |
It is recommended to use a printing temperature between 255ºC and 275ºC, as well as a base temperature between 60ºC and 75ºC. The higher the printing temperature is, the better the adhesion between layers will be.
The flow should be compensated according to the printing temperature used. The higher the temperature, the flow value should be reduced and the shrinkage distance
To achieve good adhesion to the base it is recommended to calibrate correctly the distance between the nozzle and the base in addition to using a suitable adhesion solution for nylon, such as Magigoo PA.
To achieve the highest quality, it is recommended that the layer fan be switched off and that low speeds and layer heights be used. It is recommended to use a print speed of 45 mm/s and a layer height of 0.15 mm.
Although it is not essential, better results are obtained on closed printers, as the cooling time is reduced allowing for increased layer bonding.
To avoid the appearance of threads (stringing), it is recommended to use a shrinkage distance of 5 mm in bowden extruders and 1 mm in direct, as well as a shrinkage speed of 20-30 mm/s.
As this is a highly abrasive material, it is necessary to use hardened nozzles, such as Olsson Ruby or Vanadio nozzles, and with an output size greater than 0.5 mm.