There’s another source for PHA 3D printer filament.
PHA is a fascinating material, since it is the only product that has the capability of fully biodegrading on its own in natural environments.
You might think that PLA is biodegradable, but it is not. It is sourced from natural substances, like corn, but it requires extreme heat and pressure to be broken down. PLA tossed in a landfill will last for many years, gradually breaking down into microplastics. Meanwhile, PHA will simply dissolve over time without any external effort.
Why don’t we use PHA for 3D printing? There are a number of reasons, including:
- FFF technology launched decades ago by using available materials at the time: ABS, and later PLA
- The belief that all parts need to be strong and durable
- The difficulty in printing PHA, which can be quite challenging
- The ease of availability of other materials
There’s a new operation that is selling PHA filament, PHA ECO GOODS.
The company manufactures PHA material and sells a variety of products made from it, including fully biodegradable drinking straws, decorative sheets, and 3D printer filament. They have two product lines: “3DESIGN” and “PurePHA”. The 3DESIGN products seem to have more robust engineering properties, but both are 100% biodegradable.
Along with the usual standard colours, PHA ECO GOODS offers silk filaments and some very intriguing “flavoured” filaments. These are PHA mixed with flavorful additives, including:
- Tea leaves
- Coffee grounds
- Cocoa
- Orange peel
The idea is to generate a pleasant aroma while printing. That’s interesting, but will be lost on any 3D printer with an enclosure and a filtration system.
Pricing of the filaments is reasonable at US$20-25 per spool.
There is a slight concern, however. The site seems “anonymous”, and there is no contact or address information other than an email.
We did some digging and it appears that PHA ECO GOODS is likely associated with China-based Beijing PhaBuilder Biotechnology. It’s possible that PHA ECO GOODS is a site from the company to market to the West, or perhaps a dedicated reseller.
If you’re determined to try out PHA materials, this might be a source of this unusual filament.
Via PHA ECO GOODS
