Reactive fusion powder-bed inkjet process for low-cost, high-performance polyurethane components
Reactive Fusion is a proprietary powder-bed additive manufacturing process that uses inkjet technology to selectively combine polyurethane powder with reactive liquid binders, producing fully polymerized, engineering-grade polyurethane parts in real time. The approach eliminates heat or UV curing, enables voxel-by-voxel control of mechanical properties, and supports complex geometries such as ventilated shoe mid-soles at high speed and very low cost.
Overview
Reactive Fusion is a hybrid additive manufacturing technique that produces engineering-grade polyurethane components directly from powder and reactive liquid binders, without the need for heat or UV curing. By combining a polyurethane powder bed with inkjet-deposited reactive inks, the process achieves 100% polymerization in real time, delivering parts with controllable, voxel-by-voxel variable mechanical properties.
The technology addresses a key limitation of conventional polymer 3D printing: while additive methods offer excellent geometric flexibility, the resulting materials are typically expensive and underperforming. Reactive Fusion retains the design freedom and speed of binder jetting while producing low-cost, high-performance polyurethane parts suitable for volume production. The initial application focus is personalized and volume manufacture of complex structures such as ventilated shoe mid-soles, where regions of toughness, softness, stretch, and strength can be tailored within a single component.
Technical specifications
- Process type: Powder-bed reactive inkjet printing, eliminating heat or UV curing stages
- Build material: Polyurethane powder, selected for mechanical performance, reactivity with polyols, flowability, static pick-up, cost, and availability (Shore A hardness of 90, elongation to break of 400% in powder form)
- Binding system: Reactive polyurethane inks synthesized for compatibility with inkjet print heads, with next-generation inks designed for higher viscosity print heads
- Material outcome: 100% polymerized polyurethane parts with properties varied voxel-by-voxel, enabling multi-property structures such as trabecular mid-soles
- Current mechanical performance: Elongation to break of approximately 12% and ultimate tensile strength of 12 MPa, approaching the performance of SLS Nylon 12, with next-generation inks expected to significantly exceed this
- Cost and scalability profile: High-speed, highly scalable process with very low material waste and cost compared to existing polymer 3D printing methods
- Design capability: Complex geometries including lattice and trabecular structures, with regional control over flexibility, strength, and feel
Technology readiness level
The Reactive Fusion process is currently at TRL 4, having demonstrated the concept in laboratory builds. Dog bone test pieces have been produced and mechanically characterized, confirming the feasibility of the reactive powder-bed inkjet approach and guiding refinements to part density and ink chemistry. Initial inks produce parts that are functional but relatively brittle; next-generation inks are expected to deliver substantially improved elongation, tensile strength, and soft-feel behavior competitive with or exceeding existing 3D-printed TPU materials.
The next phase of development, estimated at approximately 15 months, will introduce higher-viscosity inks, demonstrate multi-ink builds with varied properties within a single part, and commission a next-generation printer capable of supporting these advanced inks. The team is seeking additional funding for research personnel, printer build, and materials, and is actively looking for an industry partner such as a footwear brand to co-validate and adopt the process for applications including shoe mid-soles.
About Reactive Fusion Ltd.
Reactive Fusion Ltd is a UK-based additive manufacturing company that has developed a proprietary hybrid additive manufacturing technique. This approach utilizes a method similar to binder jetting but replaces traditional heat or ultra-violet light curing processes with a novel chemical reaction. By employing inkjet technology to selectively combine powdered and liquid materials, the process is designed to be both precise and scalable, allowing for the direct production of components made from engineering-grade polyurethane and polyurea. The technology originated from research at the University of Nottingham and is focused on delivering functional, high-performance polymer parts with the design freedoms inherent to additive manufacturing.
This manufacturing-ready solution is intended to streamline supply chains and provide new capabilities for sectors requiring advanced polymer components, such as automotive and aerospace. By eliminating the energy-intensive heat or UV curing stages, the process offers a different approach to material consolidation in polymer additive manufacturing. The company, which is a spin-out from the university, aims to translate these scientific advancements into industrial applications, enabling the creation of robust, complex parts that meet rigorous engineering standards. Their work is supported by an expert team with extensive experience in additive manufacturing processes, material science, and chemical engineering.
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