Engineering plastics are products that excel in heat resistance and strength, and are widely used as metal alternatives across various industries. In recent years, there has been growing demand for small-scale production and the ability to handle complex shapes, making flexible processability a key priority. DURAST^® Powder transforms high-performance resins into fine powders, contributing to diverse product development technologies such as 3D printing and additive materials.

Powdered Engineering Plastics: Performance Meets Processability

DURAST^® Powder is a new material that successfully micronizes high-strength, high-molecular-weight resins—which were previously difficult to powder—into various shapes such as spherical or fibrous forms according to application requirements. In particular, high-performance resins like Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) and Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) faced challenges with conventional grinding methods, such as particle agglomeration and reduced flowability. Using Polyplastics’ proprietary technology, DURAST^® Powder achieves uniform powderization with an average particle size of approximately 1~100 μm for LCP. This powder exhibits excellent flowability and dispersibility, contributing to process stability and improved product quality.

Resins such as Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) and Polyacetal (POM) pose significant challenges in terms of micronization due to their high molecular weight when processed via conventional grinding methods. However, the new powderization technique has successfully enabled the powderization of high-molecular-weight resins. In the case of PBT and POM, the glass transition temperature (the temperature above which resin softens) is low, causing the material to easily agglomerate due to friction heat during grinding.
However, by considering the thermal properties and mechanical properties of these resins and selecting powderization methods suited to each resin, we have achieved the production of powders with particle sizes ranging from 20μm to 100μm with a narrow particle size distribution.

Diverse industrial applications

DURAST^® Powder is suitable for additive manufacturing using 3D printers and powder sintering, enabling the production of complex shapes and high-precision parts. Additionally, it is expected to be utilized as a matrix resin for CFRTP* and as an organic filler or reinforcing material.
* CFRTP: Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics

In polymer alloys combining thermoplastic resins, processing temperature differences between the resins can cause issues such as decomposition of the lower-temperature-resistant side or failure of the higher-temperature-resistant side to melt and disperse. However, with materials that already have a particle shape, stable mixing and dispersion are possible at the processing temperature of the matrix resin.
It can also be used as an additive in thermosetting resins, varnishes, paints, and greases, and it has been increasingly studied as a potential alternative to PFAS.
Due to its narrow particle size distribution, it is suitable for production of porous filters via powder sintering, enabling the creation of uniform pore structures.
Furthermore, even resins like LCP, which tend to exhibit anisotropy in injection molding, can achieve low-anisotropy molded parts by compressing the powder.

A new option for product development

DURAST^® Powder is a new material that addresses needs that were difficult to meet with conventional molding methods. By powderizing high-performance resins, design flexibility is expanded, and processing flexibility is improved. It can accommodate various manufacturing processes from prototyping to mass production.
DURAST^® Powder offers new possibilities for your product development and technical challenges. Please feel free to contact us for prototyping, joint development, technical evaluations, or any other inquiries. We currently offer DURAST^® Powder in POM, PBT and PPS versions. The LCP version is under development.

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