Additive Composite Uppsala AB & Add North 3D developed together a polymer composite for radiation shielding applications.

Both companies are based in Sweden. Additive Composite Uppsala AB aims to optimise design and to exploit new materials in high technology sectors. Its main focus is to leverage 3D printing with composite materials and plastics.

Add North 3D AB on the other hand, develops high quality filament for 3D printing and claims to be the only producer of filaments in the Nordics.

Their common announcement is the result of a R&D work at Uppsala University.

Their 3D printing material  

The new polymer composite consists of boron carbide within a co-polyamide matrix. Available in the form of a 3D printing filament, the experts explain that the boron carbide enables effective absorption of neutrons such as those produced at major research facilities, in the nuclear industry or other places that use radiation sources.

The use of the material in a 3D printing process that can produce complex shapes makes it the ideal candidate to deliver effective shielding of stray radiation and to provide collimated beams.

Named Addbor N25, the new material can therefore replace other materials such as cadmium metal, which is now forbidden on the market, due to its toxicity.

 Adam Engberg, CEO of Additive Composite Uppsala AB, remains confident regarding this novelty: “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. Our new product is the first in a range of radiation shielding materials that we are currently developing.”

The material seems to be already available for commercialization since it is already used by some companies.

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