Fill the domestic gap! New progress has been made in PTFE 3D printing technology in China!

Recently, a team led by Professor Chen Jimin from the 3D Printing Center of the School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering at Beijing University of Technology has successfully developed a domestically owned intellectual property based PTFE 3D printing technology through continuous research and development of innovative 3D printing equipment and materials, filling the gap in large-scale and high-precision PTFE 3D printing technology in China.

It is reported that polytetrafluoroethylene has excellent high temperature resistance, excellent chemical inertness, and excellent electrical insulation performance, so it is known as the "plastic king" and widely used in chemical, medical equipment, aerospace and other fields. For example, the "Teflon" used in non stick pans at home is a polymer made by polymerizing tetrafluoroethylene as a monomer. It has excellent heat and cold resistance and can be used for a long time at -180~260 º C.
However, polytetrafluoroethylene also has the characteristics of acid resistance, alkali resistance, and resistance to various organic solvents. It is almost insoluble in all solvents, and the stability of its chemical structure makes it difficult for polytetrafluoroethylene to deform and form complex shapes when heated. The traditional forming method of polytetrafluoroethylene usually requires high temperature and limited processing accuracy. With the increasing demand for complex shaped polytetrafluoroethylene applications in related fields, researchers are gradually trying to use 3D printing technology to customize and shape polytetrafluoroethylene. However, due to the extremely stable physical and chemical properties of polytetrafluoroethylene, significant progress has not been made in the 3D printing of large-sized and high-precision polytetrafluoroethylene both domestically and internationally.
Professor Chen Jimin's laser 3D printing team at Beijing Institute of Technology has achieved, for the first time internationally, the 3D printing of large-sized polytetrafluoroethylene structures with micrometer level precision. The tensile strength, elongation at break, and compressive strength of the prepared polytetrafluoroethylene reached 23.4 MPa, 285%, and 26.5 MPa, respectively. The production of polytetrafluoroethylene products using 3D printing technology will greatly improve production efficiency and significantly reduce production costs, while also achieving precise control over product performance.
It is understood that Professor Chen Jimin's team has been engaged in the research of special material 3D printing technology for national major projects and important areas of people's livelihood for a long time. For many years, the team has adhered to the concept of "core technology cannot be bought, key breakthroughs rely on oneself", and has formed a series of original achievements with independent intellectual property rights in special 3D printing equipment, materials, and processes, breaking the monopoly of foreign related technologies and reaching the international advanced level. The breakthrough in 3D printing polytetrafluoroethylene technology this time will bring a revolutionary change to related industries and may become an important technology in the field of special material processing in the future.
With the maturity of 3D printing polytetrafluoroethylene technology, we look forward to seeing further development and promotion of this technology, bringing more innovative scientific research achievements and technologies to the country and society, and putting them into practical applications to develop new quality productivity.