NEWS AND MEDIA

We have agreed to co-operate in commercialisation of low-scattering and low absorption glassy metals to make windows and sample environment for neutron instrumentation and scattering experiments. Complex and bulky components can now be fabricated. Some data on these materials is found in an article by our academic collaborators: A. Ericsson, V. Pacheco, J. J. Marattukalam, R. M. Dalgliesh, A. R. Rennie, M. Fisk, M. Sahlberg ‘Crystallization of a Zr-based metallic glass produced by laser powder bed fusion and suction casting’ Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids 571, (2021), 120891. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2021.120891

Uppsala, 7th December 2020

Additive Composite - A part of AddLife compentence centre

AddLife is a newly funded VINNOVA (Sweden's Innovation Agency) Competence Centre that gathers more than 20 partners in academia, industry and the public sector to support competence development in Additive Manufacturing for the Life Sciences.

Additive Composite Uppsala AB is a proud member of AddLife, and we look forward to the activities and developments within the competence centre.

An article in Nuclear Instruments and Methods A describes measurements of neutron absorption and scattering from the composite of nylon and boron carbide, Addbor N25, that is sold by Additive Composite. The article is free to download.

The paper (Adrian R. Rennie, Adam Engberg, Olle Eriksson, Robert M. Dalgliesh "Understanding neutron absorption and scattering in a polymer composite material" Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment (2020), in press.) provides detailed data based on measurements for different energies (wavelengths) that can be used to guide design of components in this material for neutron instrumentation and nuclear applications.

A new high-technology polymer composite for radiation shielding applications has been launched by the Uppsala company, Additive Composite Uppsala AB together with the Swedish filament developer Add North 3D AB.

The material consisting of boron carbide within a co-polyamide matrix, has been developed and produced as filaments optimized for 3D-printing. The boron carbide provides effective absorption of neutrons such as those produced at major research facilities, in the nuclear industry or other places that use radiation sources. The ability to make complex shapes easily by means of 3D-printing is important to provide effective shielding of stray radiation and to provide collimated beams.

The product that is launched on the market in January 2020 is based on original research work conducted at Uppsala University. It is a joint development of Additive Composite Uppsala AB and Add North AB. The new product, marketed under the name Addbor N25, provides an effective alternative to the use of other materials such as cadmium metal in many applications. The toxicity of cadmium has led to it being banned for most purposes: availability of the new material that can be readily fabricated to complex shapes should reduce the need for cadmium. Additive Composite has already sold several hundred parts in their boron carbide composites to detector and sample environment groups at the European Spallation Source (ESS) being built in Lund.

Adam Engberg commented that ‘Additive manufacturing is changing how many products are being designed and produced. We believe that Addbor N25 contributes to this development and helps both industry and large research facilities to replace toxic materials that could eventually contaminate the environment.’ He added ‘Our new product is the first in a range of radiation shielding materials that we are currently developing .‘

Additive Composite Uppsala AB was established in 2018 to commercialize developments of new composites and additive manufacturing technology. It has already delivered components to, for example, the European Spallation Source in Lund, Sweden.
www.additivecomposite.com

Add North is a Swedish 3D materials developer specializing in 3D printable materials. From its start in 2016, the focus has been on sustainable plastic solutions as consumables and the development of new materials, with a current focus on technical materials.
www.addnorth.com

Basic research at Uppsala University in this area has been described in various articles including:

Anders Olsson, Maja S. Hellsing, Adrian R. Rennie ‘New possibilities using additive manufacturing with materials that are difficult to process and with complex structures’ Physica Scripta 92, (2017), 053002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1402-4896/aa694e

Link to downloadable press release:

News

Uppsala, 7th December 2020

UNDERSTANDING NEUTRON ABSORPTION AND SCATTERING IN A POLYMER COMPOSITE MATERIAL

ADDITIVE COMPOSITE RELEASES A NEW BORON CARBIDE COMPOSITE MATERIAL IN A COLLABORATION WITH SWEDISH FILAMENT DEVELOPER ADDNORTH 3D

3D-PRINTED COMPONENTS IN BORON CARBIDE COMPOSITE DELIVERED TO ESS