PolyDissolve S2 High temp PVA

PolyDissolve S2 High temp PVA is a support filament developed by Polymaker, a renowned manufacturer recognized for its many innovative solutions in the world of 3D FDM printing.

It is an advanced backing material specially designed to be combined with high temperature materials such as ABS, ASA and polycarbonate.

PolyDissolve has a glass transition temperature of 113°C and a softening temperature of 93°C, which means that it can even be printed on 3D printers with a heated chamber up to 80°C. It also supports temperatures up to 110 ºC at the base and can be printed between 230 ºC and 250 ºC.

Image 1: Printing with PolyDissolve S2 High temp PVA on a Raise Pro2. Source: Polymaker.com

Another important characteristic is the excellent adhesion that it presents, both with ASA and ABS as with polycarbonate, so if it is printed without separation between the support and the piece, when the material is dissolved, a practically perfect quality will be obtained in the contact surface.

Image 2: Part printed with PolyDissolve S2 High temp PVA before and after removal of the holders. Source:Polymaker.com

However, its main advantage and what differentiates it from common backing materials such as HIPS, is that it does not need organic solvents to be removed. Materials such as HIPS need to be dissolved in D-Limonene, an organic solvent that despite having low toxicity and being biodegradable, must be treated as a hazardous waste due to its high flammability and because it poses an acute risk to aquatic environments. This means that the prolonged use of HIPS supports generates a significant amount of limonene waste that cannot be disposed of down the drain or as municipal waste, but must be sent to an authorised waste manager.

PolyDissolve S2 High temp PVA is a material that is soluble in an aqueous solution at 70ºC of 3D Wash, an alkaline detergent specially designed for this material. The main advantage of this system is that once the material is dissolved, the resulting solution can be easily diluted and disposed of directly down the drain, as both PolyDissolve and 3D Wash are free of halogenated substances and heavy metals.

As with other substrates, it is advisable to prevent it from taking on moisture, so it is highly recommended to use it with dry storage systems such as PolyBox or PrintDry.