Inside the Mix – Understanding additives in 3D printed concrete
3D printed concrete offers the potential for quick sustainable construction
AVL Metal Powders were founded in 1937 as a manufacturer of aluminium, bronze and copper powders. To this day, they remain a family-owned business, now 4th generation, but their products are sold around the world from their headquarters and production facility in Kortrijk in Belgium. From here they serve numerous industries including the cellular concrete, inks, paints and plastics industries.
Kortrijk not only houses their production site; AVL also has research and development laboratories with creative experts who are striving to innovate high-quality and effective pigments. Here they are able to develop and tailor their grades to suit various market sectors and applications. Then using their unique dry milling process, they create exceptionally pure products free from mineral oils.
Their range of metallic pigments and powders still includes the original colours they started with in 1937 but has expanded to also include a huge range of gold bronze pigments, silver aluminium pigments and zinc powders. These metallic pigments are able to enhance any product with a true metallic colour and light-scattering properties.
3D printed concrete offers the potential for quick sustainable construction
Expandable graphite and Quarzwerke minerals can be used to enhance flame-retardant systems for EV safety.
High Temperature Expandable Graphite from LUH is able to be used in thermoplastics without expanding during the extrusion process.
Micaceous Iron Oxide (MIO) is a naturally occurring iron oxide used in protective coatings due to a lamellar/platy morphology that allows it to form a barrier towards the ingress of water.