Filamet™ circonium silicate pellets

Filamet™ zirconia silicate pellets are small cylinders composed of PLA with a zirconia silicate filler. These pellets are composed of 60% zirconium silicate and the rest of PLA.

PLA (polylactic acid) is a biodegradable plastic obtained from natural resources such as starch extracted from corn, sugar beet and wheat. PLA is one of the most widely used materials in 3D printing today because it does not give off harmful gases and is easy to print.

Zirconium silicate is a ceramic material that stands out for its high hardness of 7.5 on the Mohs scale. It is a material with refractory properties and a high resistance to corrosion and alkalis. It is a material commonly used in ceramics, glazes and glazed ceramics.

In addition to the intrinsic properties of zirconia silicate, The Virtual Foundry's (TVF) Filamet™ zirconia silicate pellets are perfect for 3D printing, achieving high print quality, and stand out from other ceramic-filled materials by allowing the user to obtain all-ceramic parts after a sintering process.

During the sintering process of 3D printed parts with Filamet™ zirconia silicate pellets, the PLA is removed, resulting in all-ceramic parts with the real properties of ceramic, but with some porosity and a reduction in volume due to the loss of PLA.

This process can be carried out in an open environment furnace or in a vacuum or inert environment, bearing in mind that the sintering values must be adjusted according to the furnace geometry and model.

Filamet™ zirconia silicate pellets are optimised for 3D printing. Moreover, due to their PLA content, they are very easy to process. There are several methods for using pellets in 3D printing:

• Filamet™ zirconia silicate pellets can be used in the manufacture of filament for FDM 3D printers using Filastruder or any other filament extruder.
• A pellet extruder can be used directly to process Filamet™ zirconia silicate pellets.

When using Filamet™ zirconia silicate pellets to manufacture filament with a filament extruder such as Filastruder or using a pellet extruder for direct 3D printing, it should be noted that the extrusion temperature must be regulated in relation to the extrusion speed used. For optimal results in both the pellet processing and sintering process of 3D printed parts with this material, it is recommended to read the product's usage tips.