Material:PHA
| MaterialInfoBox PHA | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | polyhydroxyalkanoates |
| Suggested Tools: | 3D printers |
PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) are biobased polymers found in and consumed by certain microorganisms. [1]
The material is used as a component and sometimes even single ingredient of bioplastics that are actually compostable and do not merely disintegrate into smaller and smaller particles. [2]
3D Printing
Some manufacturers sell PHA filament for 3D printing and the user base seems to be split between "great material" and "can't get it to stick on the bed". Reportedly, once the right settings are found to prevent warping/adhesion issues, it has similar properties to more popular 3D printing materials with advantages such as being less brittle than PLA and possessing a relatively high heat deflection temperature (> 120 °C). [3]
Print Settings
We have not tested this material in the Space so far.
Unlike many other difficult materials, PHA warps when it cools too slow after deposition due to crystallization. [4] It requires a cold bed and the lowest working nozzle temperature to get it to print! PHA/PLA blends are much more "normal" but lack some of the properties that make PHA interesting in the first place.
Typical adhesion aids like blue painter's tape, Kapton tape, glue sticks or "3DLac" reportedly work fine, but not MagiGoo adhesives as they require heated bed to be activated. [5]
Lukas managed to print ColorFabb allPHA (black) on an Ultimaker2 at 190 °C on a BuildTak plate with a wide brim, but no additional adhesives.
Sources
- 100 % PHA: colorFabb "allPHA"
- possibly containing PHA: 3DJake "niceBIO"
- upon inquiry, they only stated it was "biodegradeable according to DIN EN ISO 14855" and "not explicitly labeled PHA" while claiming similar technical properties including high heat resistance (approx. 145 °C)
Injection Molds
The YouTube channel "future things" demonstrates the use of FDM printed injection molds made from PHA. If we can recreate this, it would be a great addition to our Precious Plastic project! Lukas will start experimenting around Feb 2026 and is always open to making it a team project.
Molds will need at least 30 % infill to withstand the pressure of injected plastic and will probably receive a wooden frame of some sort. Aluminum mold backers are available from a couple of stores (e.g. Sustainable Design Studio but cost upwards of 200 €.
