Clariant Bio-based White 3D Printer Filament is an opaque white monofilament intended for material extrusion feeders operating under fused filament fabrication. The product family uses a polyamide 6.10 base resin rather than PLA, PETG, or ABS; the polycondensation route combines castor oil-derived sebacic acid with hexamethylenediamine, yielding a renewable carbon fraction in the polymer chain. The white colour is produced by an inorganic pigment dispersion in the compound, and the material is supplied in 1.75 mm and 2.85 mm diameter formats on 750 g and 2.3 kg spools. Lot-level dimensional control is performed by two-axis laser micrometry, with acceptance limits of ±0.05 mm diameter and 0.03 mm ovality deviation. The product is directed at jigs, fixtures, low-load machine housings, inspection gauges, and repair parts that require higher thermal resistance than white PLA or PETG. Because the filament is supplied on wound spools, storage conditions directly influence process consistency; exposure to ambient humidity above 60% relative humidity for more than 12 h shifts the water content of the printed melt and degrades interlayer weld strength.

Material Constitution and Renewable Carbon Accounting

The renewable carbon fraction of the polymer phase is assessed by accelerator mass spectrometry conforming to ASTM D6866-22 Method B or by the equivalent approaches in ISO 16620-2. Because the sebacic acid monomer contains 10 of the 16 repeating-unit carbons in PA6.10, the unmodified feedstock typically shows a bio-based carbon content of 62% by total organic carbon. White pigment and processing-stabiliser addition below 2 wt% may reduce the finished-filament renewable carbon fraction slightly; the lot certificate states the exact bio-carbon value. Density measured by ISO 1183-1 Method A falls in the range 1.07–1.09 g/cm³, which is lower than that of white PLA and PETG and therefore yields more linear metre of filament per kilogram at fixed spool mass. Differential scanning calorimetry per ISO 11357-3 typically records a melting peak at 220–222°C, with recrystallisation onset near 170°C during controlled cooling. The long methylene sequence in PA6.10 reduces equilibrium moisture absorption relative to PA6 or PA66; saturated immersion uptake is approximately 3.5%, while equilibrium at 23°C and 50% relative humidity is normally 1.4–1.6%.

Production-scale filament conversion for polyamide 6.10 is commonly performed on co-rotating twin-screw compounding lines with an L/D ratio of 40:1 to 44:1. The white concentrate is introduced through a side feeder after the main resin melt seal, and the strand is quenched in water at 40–60°C, vacuum-sized, and wound under closed-loop laser diameter control. Spooling tension is maintained below 0.8 N; higher tension induces take-up slip and ovality drift, while tension below 0.3 N produces loose windings and telescoping on the spool flange.

What Drying and Extrusion Parameters Minimize Hydrolytic Degradation?

Moisture is the dominant process hazard for this white PA6.10 filament. A wet spool exposed to 60% relative humidity for more than 12 h should be re-dried before printing because residual moisture above 0.15 wt% lowers melt viscosity by hydrolysis and produces foam, char streaks, and weak interlayer welds. Drying in a vacuum oven at 80°C for 4–6 h or in a desiccant dryer with a dew point of −40°C for 6–8 h brings moisture below 0.10 wt%. Drying above 100°C risks oxidative yellowing of the white compound and should be avoided unless an inert-gas purge is used.

Nozzle temperature is a narrow processing parameter. Below 235°C, melt viscosity remains elevated and interlayer adhesion decreases; above 265°C, residence-time-dependent discoloration and oligomer evolution become detectable. A practical extruder setpoint for direct-drive heads is 245–255°C at print speeds of 30–60 mm/s, with a heated bed held at 90–110°C. Enclosure air temperature of 50–70°C reduces edge curling in parts with build footprints larger than 80 mm. For Bowden systems, retraction distance is increased to 3.0–4.0 mm at 40 mm/s; direct-drive systems use 1.0–2.0 mm retraction at 30 mm/s. Part-cooling fan duty should remain below 40% until layer time exceeds 15 s, otherwise the quenched surface can delaminate from the next pass. Although the white pigment is dispersed at low loading, continuous use of brass nozzles beyond 500 h may show measurable orifice wear; a hardened steel or plated brass nozzle is recommended for production cells.

Against a white PLA reference, the product exhibits lower stiffness and higher thermal resistance, which shifts the operating envelope toward housings, jigs, fixtures, and low-load machine components that must survive high-temperature cleaning or heat-soak. Tensile yield stress in conditioned printed coupons is typically 45–55 MPa under ISO 527-2 type 1A testing, compared with 55–65 MPa for white PLA filaments and 48–52 MPa for PETG. Flexural modulus measured by ISO 178 is approximately 1.5–2.0 GPa, so the PA6.10 white profile is more ductile and less rigid than unfilled PLA; supports are easier to remove, but thin walls deflect at lower load. The principal difference from PETG is heat deflection temperature: PA6.10 white shows an HDT B at 0.45 MPa of 145–160°C under ISO 75-2 Method B, which is 75–90°C higher than typical PETG. Relative to petroleum-derived PA6 or PA66 filament, the PA6.10 chain architecture reduces water absorption at 23°C/50% RH to 1.4–1.6%, approximately 40% lower than published PA6 equilibrium values. The bio-based white product also avoids the styrene off-gassing associated with ABS and permits printing in occupied environments with local exhaust only.

Published data for this specific white PA6.10 configuration are limited; the table entries are representative unfilled polyamide 6.10 and commodity filament reference ranges and should be replaced with lot-specific certificates for design verification.

Mechanical Property Data for Printed Coupons Are Moisture-Conditioned

Layer-to-layer tensile strength is not equivalent to xy tensile data. Published fused filament fabrication studies on unfilled PA6.10 report z-axis tensile values that are 30–50% lower than xy tensile values because fusion is governed by weld-line diffusion and residual thermal stress. Heated build-plate temperatures below 80°C raise this anisotropy; first-layer adhesion also depends on a stable polyamide bed preparation. A sacrificial polyamide-based adhesive or PA film is preferred. The white grade can be printed on a 100°C PEI bed with a textured surface; dimensional accuracy of 0.2% is obtainable on parts under 100 mm in the x-y plane when using a brim or raft.

Moisture conditioning affects stiffness and impact response. Dry-as-printed parts show higher tensile modulus but lower notched impact energy; conditioned parts tested after moisture equilibrium above 1.0% water content show lower modulus and increased elongation at break. Notched Izod data obtained under ASTM D256 are typically 5–8 kJ/m² for dry coupons and can rise above 10 kJ/m² after moisture conditioning. Production parts operating in high-humidity environments should be evaluated using conditioned specimens rather than as-printed values. Colour fastness under interior lighting is stable, but exterior exposure of any white polyamide requires a weather-resistant stabilizer package not included in this filament. Published data for this specific white PA6.10 configuration under ISO 4892-3 UV-A testing are limited; components intended for outdoor use should request weathering data from the distributor.

When Long Print Runs Encounter Spool-to-Spool Variability in Bio-Based Feedstock

Castor oil-derived sebacic acid is a naturally variable monomer unless refined to polymer-grade purity. Batch-to-batch variation in trace esters, monoacid content, and ash can shift melt volume-flow rate and yellow index even when the same pellet feed is re-extruded on a filament line. Spool-to-spool diameter variation above ±0.03 mm indicates feeding instability or take-up slip and should be rejected for continuous production cells. If a lot change occurs mid-build, the transition should be recorded on the traveller and the affected part quarantined when dimensional certification is required.

In production cells requiring renewable carbon certification, regrind and purge material must be isolated from petroleum-derived PA6 or PA66. Cross-contamination above 5 wt% can invalidate renewable carbon certificates depending on the claim threshold. The filament is incompatible with prolonged immersion in strong acids, high-boiling phenols, and heated alcohol-based cleaning baths above 50°C. Open spools should not be stored in warehouses exceeding 60% relative humidity without active desiccant, and hot-air ovens above 100°C should not be used for re-drying unless oxidative yellowing of the white surface is explicitly accepted.