On June 15, the production line of the Second Synthetic Fiber Division at Sinopec Yizheng Chemical Fiber ran smoothly, marking the official industrial mass production of GN811, a high-performance new PETG polyester material. This breakthrough represents a key technical advance for Yizheng Chemical Fiber in the 3D printing sector and delivers an innovative material solution for FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printing.
R&D specialists from the research institute stayed on-site alongside the production line, continuously tuning process parameters and monitoring all performance indicators. Uniform, highly transparent spherical pellets were steadily extruded, with fluidity, color tone, particle size and all other core metrics fully meeting design specifications. The new pellets stand as a promising rising star for 3D printing materials, and signal solid progress in Sinopec’s push toward high-end, functional and differentiated polyester products.
PETG is widely favored by the 3D printing industry thanks to its superior comprehensive performance: it boasts higher toughness and heat resistance than PLA, and produces almost no odor during printing with minimal warpage compared with conventional ABS, delivering well-balanced overall performance. The newly launched GN811 by Yizheng Chemical Fiber further upgrades these balanced advantages.
As Sinopec’s production base for mid-to-high-end polyester materials, Yizheng Chemical Fiber has leveraged its long-standing strengths in traditional fiber manufacturing to enter the additive manufacturing track. The company built an integrated R&D, production, sales and application team to independently develop premium 3D printing materials, with a clear goal of not only matching mainstream commercial products but comprehensively outperforming them.
Chang Yu, a researcher from the institute, recalled the grueling early stage of technical development. The lab often stayed lit deep into midnight, piled full of test samples. Centered on core bottlenecks including compatibility between fluidity and thermal stability, color purity and interlayer bonding strength, the team started with molecular design and revised molecular chain structures more than a hundred times through repeated simulations and trials.
After countless setbacks and restarts, the team unlocked the optimal formula. The material’s L-b color index is improved by four units against mainstream industry benchmarks, while its melt index rises by 10%, greatly enhancing extrusion smoothness and preventing nozzle clogging — making it ideal for long-duration, high-precision printing tasks.
In mid-May, the R&D team delivered prototype samples to a Jiangsu-based 3D printing material manufacturer for field trials. During hours of non-stop printing, GN811 maintained stable operation. The finished printed crafts featured sharp edges and tight interlayer adhesion without cracks, and released no unpleasant fumes throughout the process. The material is fully recyclable with outstanding eco-friendly merits.
Technicians from the trial manufacturer gave high praise: “This material solves the long-standing pain points of delamination and cracking in conventional filaments. Its thermal stability and interlayer adhesion surpass equivalent products on the market, fully satisfying strict requirements for functional and structural industrial components.”
Up to now, GN811 has passed practical verification by multiple filament producers and end users. The team continues iterative upgrades tailored to diverse client demands and will roll out a full product series, accelerating the industrial-grade functional application of FDM 3D printing technology.
A senior official from Yizheng Chemical Fiber Research Institute stated that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the company will comprehensively boost technological innovation capacity, deepen industry-university-research joint research, and integrate the full industrial chain covering lab R&D, pilot testing and mass production to speed up commercialization of technical achievements. It will supply high-performance, premium and diversified material solutions to downstream clients and help Sinopec build a distinguished brand in advanced new materials.
