Home / Materials / Arkema Rilsan Invent PA11
Arkema Rilsan Invent PA11
PA11PowderSLSArkema
Quick answer
Arkema Rilsan Invent PA11 (data sheet grade designation: Rilsan® PA11 Invent Nat) is a 100% bio-based PA11 powder for laser sintering, polymerised from castor oil. Per Arkema's technical data sheet it offers 45 MPa tensile strength at break, 1500 MPa tensile modulus and 45% strain at break — the ductility figure, far above any PA12 powder, is the reason this grade exists.
Rilsan is Arkema's PA11 family, and PA11 itself is Arkema's chemistry: the polymer is made from a monomer derived from castor oil, and the data sheet lists bio-based carbon content at 100% (ASTM D6866). The Invent range is the powder line developed for powder bed fusion; the data sheet states the natural grade is designed for use with all laser sintering systems, with build-parameter adjustments depending on the equipment.
The property profile is the PA11 trade in its clearest form. Against EOS PA 2200 (PA12: 48 MPa, 1650 MPa, 18% elongation), Arkema lists slightly lower strength and stiffness but 45% strain at break — two and a half times the PA12 figure. Against the other PA11 in this database, EOS PA 1101 (50 MPa, 30%), Rilsan Invent gives up a little strength for half again as much elongation. Designers choosing between PA11 grades are really choosing where they sit on that strength-versus-ductility line.
The weak point is heat deflection. Despite a 201 °C melting temperature, the data sheet lists an HDT of only 44 °C at 1.8 MPa, so loaded parts in warm environments need to be checked against that figure rather than the melting point.
Properties (manufacturer datasheet)
| Property | Value | Orientation / condition | Test standard / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength at break | 45 MPa | ISO 527-1/-2 · Arkema "stress at break", dry, 23 °C | |
| Tensile modulus | 1500 MPa | ISO 527-1/-2 · Dry, 23 °C | |
| Elongation at break | 45 % | ISO 527-1/-2 · Arkema "strain at break", dry, 23 °C | |
| Flexural modulus | 1200 MPa | ISO 178 · 23 °C | |
| Hardness | 77 Shore D | ISO 868 · 23 °C | |
| Heat deflection temperature | 44 °C | ISO 75-1/-2 · @ 1.8 MPa | |
| Melting temperature | 201 °C | ISO 11357-3 · ISO 11357-3 per Arkema PBF brochure; TDS states 20 °C/min | |
| Particle size, median (D50) | 46 µm | ISO 13320 | |
| Particle size (D10) | 19 µm | ISO 13320 | |
| Particle size (D90) | 89 µm | ISO 13320 | |
| Apparent density | 0.49 g/cm³ | ISO 1068 · Bulk | |
| 0.62 g/cm³ | ISO 1068 · Tapped | ||
| Bio-based carbon content | 100 % | ASTM D6866 |
Values are reproduced from the manufacturer source(s) listed below, exactly as published. Properties the manufacturer does not publish are omitted rather than estimated — see the sourcing policy.
Processing notes
- SLS powder for laser sintering systems; Arkema states the grade is heat stabilised and gives a shelf life of two years from delivery when stored sealed.
- Arkema states a low refreshing factor for the grade — typically 50% — in the data sheet description; as with all refresh figures, the workable ratio depends on part geometry and packing.
- Powder data from the data sheet: median particle size (D50) of 46 µm, bulk apparent density 0.49 g/cm³ (tapped 0.62 g/cm³).
- Arkema labels the figures in its data sheet as typical values; they are reproduced here as published.
Typical applications
- Automotive interior parts, including crash-relevant components (Arkema case studies)
- Bicycle helmets and sports protection
- Orthotics and medical devices
- Bearings and other parts that must flex or absorb impact
- Rapid prototyping of small, complex parts (per the data sheet description)
Manufacturer, process & related entries
Manufacturer
Arkema is a French specialty materials company headquartered in Colombes, formed in 2004 as a spin-off of Total’s chemicals division. Its Rilsan polyamide 11 — polymerised from castor oil — is the original PA11 chemistry, and the Rilsan Invent line adapts that chemistry for powder-bed fusion.
Process
SLS — Selective Laser Sintering
A laser scans each cross-section over a heated bed of nylon powder, sintering one layer at a time; the surrounding unfused powder supports the part.
Application guides for this grade
Run the numbers for this grade
Two calculators read this database: the part cost estimator prices a part in this grade from its volume and datasheet density, and the refresh ratio calculator plans the virgin-powder blend for a build.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rilsan Invent PA11 really 100% bio-based?
Per Arkema's data sheet, yes in feedstock terms: PA11 is polymerised from a castor-oil-derived monomer and the sheet lists bio-based carbon content at 100% (ASTM D6866). As with other PA11 grades, "bio-based" describes the feedstock, not biodegradability — the finished polymer is a durable engineering nylon.
Rilsan Invent PA11 or EOS PA 1101?
Both are PA11 SLS powders. Per their data sheets, EOS PA 1101 lists 50 MPa tensile strength and 30% strain at break; Arkema lists 45 MPa and 45%. Choose Rilsan Invent where maximum ductility and impact tolerance dominate, PA 1101 where its higher strength figure matters. Both melt at 201 °C.
What refresh factor does Arkema state for Rilsan Invent PA11?
The data sheet description states a low refreshing factor, typically 50% — in Arkema's framing, roughly half virgin powder in the blend. The ratio a given bureau can actually run depends on geometry, packing density and how the powder has aged.
What is the weak point of Rilsan Invent PA11?
Heat deflection: the data sheet lists an HDT of only 44 °C at 1.8 MPa despite the 201 °C melting temperature. A part can be far below melting and still deflect under load in a warm environment, so check sustained-load applications against the HDT, not the melting point.
Sources
Last updated: November 2026