About this project
Over millions of years, nature developed a variety of starch based elastomers. Eco-Chemistry is slowly catching up. BioInspiration's "Beta Test" is WillowFlex for 3D Printing. After all - there is no better chemist then Mother Nature.
Why is this a game changer?
WillowFlex Filament is a step into the Organic Material Evolution – access to materials and process that follow nature’s lead - compostable, upcyclable, harmless, innovative, resilient.
Material Transparency
WillowFlex’s base component is non-GMO corn starch. This unique elastomeric bioplastic is made from compostable raw materials that have passed the U.S. (ASTM D6400) and E.U. (EN 13432) standards for compostability.
Safety
Anyone who has tried 3D printing knows the familiar scent of melted plastic in the air. WillowFlex gives hardly any smell - but if you lean in close, you might catch a natural scent like baking bread or brewing beer.
We envision WillowFlex (and our standard Willow Filament line in the following months) will set a new baseline for filaments used in sensitive environments such as schools, homes and kitchen, and medical applications.
Used with Permission from Otelo (http://www.otelo.or.at/)
Used with Permission from Otelo (http://www.otelo.or.at/)
BioInspiration defines our safety requirement not only for humans but also for the environment. When your custom printed Willowflex headlamp adapter gets lost in the woods on your next camping trip – it will return to the earth without any harmful effects (in the future the electronic portion will too!). Did your daughter bury her new 3D printed sand form at the bottom of the sandbox? In a couple years it will blend right into the sand.
Quality
Bio-Inspired products have comparable qualities and often include unique advantages provided direct from Mother Nature. BioInspiration searches out products that aren't there only to relieve the waste stream but to improve the products themselves.
Sample "Squeeze"
Sample "Squeeze"
Heat Resistance
WillowFlex is able to maintain integrity at temperatures in excess of 100 C. Now you can print your teacup and use it to drink tea without affecting the structure. You can leave your 3D printed sandals in the sun and they won’t deform when you step into them. We are also excited for what this heat resistance will mean for electronic applications such as flexible PV Panels.
Cold Resistance
Giving materials to children is a great way to test all the possible uses! Our first sample 3D Printed WillowFlex boxes have been being put in the freezer to make ice-cubes for 3 months. They continue to withstand the freezing and defrosting process and the flexible surface makes it easy to remove shaped ice cubes. The Material has been confirmed to retain its flexibility at - 15 C. (But it might go even lower...)
10 Colors to Choose From
We have selected an initial 5 Colors that will be the initial Willow Flex batch. The other 5 will be voted on by the project bakers and be made "to Pantone color specification" by our filament producers.
Sample Color Production
Sample Color Production
Tell me more about what this compostability testing means…
The more stringent of the two criteria is from the EU (EN 13432). It states that the material can be recycled through the composting of organic solid waste (http://greenplastics.com/wiki/EN_13432) and includes:
A biodegradation level of at least 90% in less than 6 months.
Disintegrability with test material greater >2 mm less than 10% of the original mass
Absence of negative effects on the composting process
Low levels of heavy metals and absence of negative effects through a plant growth test.
The raw material from WillowFlex has additionally met the less stringent U.S. (ASTM D6400).
It is important to note that these certifications are based on Industrial Level Composting – so you should not expect the same speed from your backyard compost pile. But you should expect the same end result, the material returning to the soil.
Composting Status (6 Months)
Composting Status (6 Months)
Composting Status (12 Months)
Composting Status (12 Months)
But if it is compostable – won’t it just start decomposing?
The Composition Process only occurs when 4 criteria appear concurrently – Moisture, Microbes, Oxygen and Heat. When any one of these criteria are not met, then the material will remain stable. We are working with a base material that has been use (and remained stable) for 4 years and counting.
Steps for Decomposition
Steps for Decomposition
As this is a Beta - we are currently running a series of tests to see how the material responds in the following conditions and we will keep our backers updated:
Inside Location (Sun)
Inside Location (Shade)
Outside Location (Sun)
Outside Location (Shade)
Wet Location
Children’s sand-box
Slow Composter
Fermentation Composter (Bokashi)
Buried
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I’m ready! – but why should I choose a flexible filament?
Flexibility in 3D printing is a new road that we are all traveling together. What is most exciting about WillowFlex is that you aren’t just adding flexibility to your 3D Print, you are also adding heat and cold resistance. A good way to get inspiration is to simply look around you and see what are the items you are using already that are made from flexible plastics - And how do you want to customize them on your 3D Printer?
We expect (and will ourselves be playing in) the following product developments
Shoes
Clothes
Fashion Accessories, Watchbands
Toys
“Adult Toys”
Cups / Plates / Bowls
Glasses Frames, especially for children and sports
Custom Ice Cubes!
Outdoor Equipment
Models and Body Applications
Masks
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Flexible Electronics
This is a field that we think is a perfect synergy with our material and we are searching out partners to develop our material and test its response in various electrical applications.
Flexible PV
Flexible Batteries
Flexible Displays
Flexible Sensor Systems
These are all directions that are at the tipping point of feasibility.