Pyrex (borosilicate) Filamet™ pellets

Pyrex (borosilicate) Filamet™ pellets are small cylinders composed of PLA with a zirconium silicate filler. These pellets are composed of 73% borosilicate glass powder 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.

These pellets use the well-known Pyrex glass, a tempered borosilicate glass that is known for its low thermal expansion, which makes it resistant to temperatures between -40°C and 600°C and thermal shocks up to 220°C. Although this glass is known for its applications in oven-safe cookware, its main application is in the scientific and industrial field, such as the manufacture of laboratory glassware or the production of mirrors for telescopes. Pyrex glass is composed of 80% silica, 13% boron, 4% sodium carbonate and 2.5% alumina.

Once a part has been 3D printed with this material, a sintering process is necessary to obtain a completely glass part. This process can be carried out in an open environment furnace or in a vacuum or inert environment, taking into account that the sintering values must be adjusted according to the geometry and model of the furnace. The product obtained is made entirely of borosilicate glass, but with some porosity and a reduction in volume due to the loss of PLA.

During the sintering process of 3D printed parts with Pyrex (borosilicate) Filamet™ pellets, the PLA is removed, resulting in all-glass parts with the actual properties of borosilicate glass, but with some porosity and with a reduction in volume due to the loss of PLA.

Pyrex (borosilicate) Filamet™ pellets allow any FDM 3D printer user to produce pure borosilicate glass objects, capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 600°C. Once sintered in a furnace, the result of 3D printed parts made from this material is 100% glass. The final parts are not transparent.

Pyrex (borosilicate) Filamet™ pellets are optimised for 3D printing. Moreover, thanks to their PLA content, they are very easy to process. There are several methods for using pellets in 3D printing:

• Pyrex (borosilicate) Filamet™ pellets can be used in the manufacture of filament for FDM 3D printers using Filastruder or any other filament extruder.
• It is possible to use a pellet extruder directly to process Filamet™ Pyrex (borosilicate) pellets.

When using Filamet™ Pyrex (borosilicate) 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.