Welcoming PHA Filament Into The Rotation
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) filament is definitely harder to say than Polylactic Acid (PLA), but I assure you that the filament is just as easy to use! PHA is a bio-polymer filament as a result of fermentation from bacteria digestion. To further “break it down for you” it’s filament made from organic feedstocks like plants, corn starches, wood, and organic food waste! Because of its origin, PHA filament has a lifecycle that is actually compostable on a home level! I’m blown away at the amount of detail and structural integrity that I can get from using this filament.
What does it mean to be biodegradable
You’ll see on PLA boxes a small flair regarding the filament to be “biodegradable.” This is true, afterall PLA is mainly comprised of starches from corn and sugar cane. The material will start to degrade if the composts reaches specific conditions such as constant high heat at 58°C with moisture. This controlled temperature range is found exclusively to industrial compost sites. In a similar study, PHA products were found to degrade in various environments like soil, compost, and landfill with lower temperature ranges of 30°C. There is also an added benefit of PHA polymers being able to fully decompose in a natural marine environment.
PHA Printing Tips & Advice
My printing experience is limited to only Generation 1 of Beyond Plastic PHA and their PHA Flex filament. I hope to try their 2nd generation of PHA once they restock. I’ve used PHA filament on both Bowden and Direct Drive style Printers. Mainly Bambu X1C, Ender 3s, and PRUSA MK3s+. I have also successfully printed PHA using a 0.2mm nozzle to create detailed models at a 0.10mm resolution.
The directions to print the filament is straight forward, and even noted on the packaging of the filament! I’ve linked filament specifications made by the manufacturer here. Filament Specifications
References
Kjeld W. Meereboer. 08/17/2020. Review of recent advances in the biodegradability of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastics and their composites. Green Chemistry Issue 17,2020. 22.5519 Link to Article
Gianeco. How long does PLA take to decompose?. FAQ. Link to website
Carbios. 11/29/2023. What is PLA?. Link to Website Article