Manufacturing Data

VegoPak biopolymer, is a thermoplastic material derived from sustainably sourced natural resources that exhibits excellent mechanical and physical properties, demonstrates usability in industrial applications, such as, 3D-printing, extrusion, injection moulding, and has strong chemical resistance characteristics.

VegoPak biopolymer can be used as a standalone material or as part of a formulated blend. It is a high molecular weight biopolymer grade that processes easily on conventional industrial extrusion, injection moulding and 3D-printing equipment.

Typical Material Properties
Physical Properties	VegoPak	Test Method
Glass Temperature, ^oC	60	Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Melting Point, ^oC	118	Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Colour/Clarity	Pale brown /Opaque	n/a
Mechanical Properties
Tensile Strength, MPA	49	ISO527 (2010) Type 1A
Strain at Break, %	0.05	ISO527 (2010) Type 1A
Tensile Elongation, mm	2.27	ISO527 (2010) Type 1A
Young’s Modulus, MPA	1099	ISO527 (2010) Type 1A
Notched Impact Strength, kJ/m²	2.52	ISO179 (Charpy Method)
Flexural Strength, MPA	85.2	ISO178
Flexural Modulus, MPA	190.56	ISO178

3D Printing and Design

VegoPak bioplastic filament demonstrated excellent performance during 3D-printing trials. Its flexibility and tensile strength allowed it to handle the rapid movements of the print head without snapping or jamming, making it well-suited for continuous feed systems. Through univariate optimisation, a print temperature of 185 °C was identified as optimal, providing a balance between flowability and shape retention. At this temperature, the polymer exhibited:

Excellent bed adhesion, with no signs of warping during cooling
Clean removal post-print, without damaging the part or the print surface
Strong layer-to-layer adhesion, with no visible voids or delamination
Effective bridging performance, successfully completing a 15% gyroid infill pattern and bridging gaps without sagging or stringing

Injection Moulding Process Controls

Components prepared through injection moulding on a Battenfield BA 230CD Plus, exhibited a smooth, glossy finish, indicating good flow and surface replication.
No visible flow lines or weld marks were observed.
Parts showed excellent dimensional accuracy, with minimal shrinkage or warping. Edges and features were well-defined, suitable for mechanical testing.

Extrusion Process Controls

Extruded filament, prepared on a Filabot EX6 Extruder with nozzle diameter of 1.75 mm, exhibited good flexibility, making it suitable for spooling and storage without kinking or deformation and utilisation on 3D-printing apparatus.

Injection Moulding Process Controls	Typical Values
Temperature Zone 1 – Feed, ^oC	155
Temperature Zone 2 – Feed & compression, ^oC	155
Temperature Zone 3 – Compression, ^oC	155
Nozzle Temperature, ^oC	145
Holding pressure, seconds	20
Cooling Time, seconds	5

Extrusion Process Controls	Typical Values
Temp Zone 1 – Feed, ^oC	60
Temp Zone 2 – Feed & Compression, ^oC	155
Temp Zone 3 – Compression, ^oC	155
Temp Zone 4 – Metering & Die, ^oC	150
Screw speed, rpm	25-100
Filament cooling	Air-cooled