We all know that using 3D printing filament with exotic filament that has metal or carbon fibers in it will tend to wear standard nozzles. That’s why many people who work with filaments like that use something other than conventional brass nozzles like hardened steel. There are even nozzles that have a ruby or diamond surfaces to prevent wear. However, [Slant 3D] asserts something we didn’t know: white filament may be wearing your nozzle, too. You can see his argument in the video below.
The reason? According to Slant 3D, the problem is the colorant added to make it white: titanium dioxide. Unlike some colorants, the titanium dioxide colorant has a large grain size. The video claims that the hard titanium material has a particle size of about 200 nm, which is much larger than, say, carbon black, which is about 20 times smaller.
Honestly, we love printing with matte white PLA, and we haven’t noticed a problem. On the other hand, we usually don’t use brass nozzles, either, so maybe that’s part of the reason we are satisfied with it. We wonder what other abrasive and large colorants might be lurking in otherwise normal-looking filament.
If you want to really try something exotic, we have some suggestions. There are plenty of engineering polymers available you can print with, for a price.
