Evonik has acquired Austin, Texas, USA-based 3D printing materials technology start-up Structured Polymers. The German speciality chemicals producer said the deal will help it expand its portfolio of specialized polymer powders for additive manufacturing.

The Essen group laid the foundations for the purchase in 2017 through an undisclosed injection of capital into the young company founded in 2012. Structured Polymers will be fully integrated into Evonik’s North American organization, with its corporate headquarters remaining in Austin.

Structured Polymers has created and commercialized new polymer powders for additive manufacturing processes including multi-jet fusion and select laser sintering. It also owns patented technology that Evonik believes can be scaled up “easily and economically.” In several steps, the process converts polymer pellets into a fine powder with controlled particle sizes ranging in diameter from 0.1 to 400 µm.

According to Ralph Marquardt, head of Strategy and Growth Businesses for Evonik Resource Efficiency, the technology works with any semi-crystalline thermoplastic including PBT, polyether ketone and PA 6 or polymer powders with specialized properties such as color, conductivity or flame protection.

Marquardt said the start-up’s technology “excellently complements our existing activities with high-performance polymers for additive manufacturing,” while Structured Polymers CEO Vikram Devarajan said that being part of part of Evonik will enable his company to develop its innovative technology platform further as well as to “diversify the 3D printing materials market to a significant degree.”

Evonik is a leading manufacturer of PA 12 powders, which have been used in additive production technologies for more than 20 years, as the group points out. In addition to its PEEK filament and PA 12 powders, the product range also includes flexible PEBA powders and a variety of additives such as dispersing agents, flow enhancers and reactive modifiers.