BIOBASED 3D PRINTED FOAM

Foam is everywhere around us, even though we often don’t notice it. Think of the cushioning in your headphones, the seat of your desk chair, your car seat, and even your shoes. However, that also means a lot of foam ends up in landfills, and production dramatically impacts the environment. Researcher Olivier Nguon felt that needed to change. Together with co-founder Claas Willem Visser, he developed a way to 3D print foams from biobased materials, which led them to co-found FoamPrint3D.

The idea finds its origin in the childhood of co-founder Claas Willem Visser. According to Olivier, Claas Willem was fascinated by bubbles. “Whenever he was doing the dishes, he’d let the water turn cold because he was so enamored with the bubble formations,” says Olivier. Thus, it wasn’t surprising when Claas Willem pursued a degree in applied physics and fluid dynamics. Fast forward to 2016, when both of them met. “My background is in materials science and polymer chemistry,” Olivier says. “Claas Willem went to Harvard University in the US, and when he came back, we reconnected. He told me about the idea for 3D printing foam he had been working on. When I added my insights on materials, we ended up with the idea for FoamPrint3D: a platform technology leveraged for various materials and applications.”

A versatile platform

In the lab, Olivier shows various 3D printers used to build customized objects. The true novelty, however, is the home-built foam printer located in a special room. “3D printing has seen a dramatic expansion since its inception in the 1970s,” says Olivier. “However, it remains largely focused on building homogeneously solid parts. We developed a completely new way to make foams by 3D printing.” Olivier also shows a range of foam materials. He pulls open a cupboard to reveal bottles of vegetable oils you’d use in your kitchen. “Currently, foams are produced from plastics that are very difficult to recycle,” Olivier explains. “Most of the time, they end up in landfills or burned. Furthermore, they generate microplastics and are not biodegradable. So, we started looking at renewable materials, like these oils. If you use that to 3D print the foams, you don’t need harmful blowing agents in the production, and it doesn’t require a lot of energy. Across the board, it’s a very sustainable and waste-free process. We only use what we need.”

From shoes to space

There is a wide plethora of applications for 3D-printed foam. “We’re aiming to manufacture customized, on-demand, and sustainable foam. That means we help the foam industry create what they want, when they want it, and where they want it,” says Olivier. “Examples of applications are customized footwear for podiatry or athletic shoes. That would be very helpful for the aging population or people with diabetic foot problems. But we could also use our technology to create sustainable foams that you’d use in packaging or as lightweight materials for airplanes or spacecraft. Because of this wide range of options, it can greatly impact our everyday lives and help reduce the carbon footprint of many industries.” 

Bridging the gap

The company wanted to spin off from the University of Twente, so they needed support setting up their business. Olivier: “Making the transition from research to the industry isn’t an easy one. The innovation ecosystem that Novel-T operates in is critical for spin-offs to bridge that gap. There’s so much to do and learn when you step into the world of entrepreneurship, and to have all the resources available is incredible. Novel-T helped us with patent application, financing strategies, and business development support. The ecosystem also helps us connect to like-minded entrepreneurs passionate about developing sustainable solutions. That’s why we also joined the BeStart program, as well as imec.istart.nl.”

Inconceivable impact

By stepping into these programs, Olivier is set on accelerating the growth of FoamPrint3D. “We want our product to help make the world a better place,” he says. “Not just for health, comfort, or safety, but also for the environment, to save energy, and avoid waste. We’d like to see our technology be available for creators who want to develop products that we’ve never seen before and that benefit us all. I believe we can create things that were deemed impossible before with our technology. We’re passionate about technology, materials, as well as the creative aspect of design. Incorporating our way of making sustainable foams and embedding them in daily products will make the world more sustainable."