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3D Printing of Polymer Composites
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3D Printing of Polymer Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 August 2024) | Viewed by 10141

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hao Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, Singapore
Interests: 3D printing; optical polymers; two-photon polymerization lithography; nanostructures; nanophotonics; diffractive optics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yi Xiong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of System Design and Intelligent Manufacturing, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
Interests: mechanical design; applications of computational methods in product-material-process-performance design; design methodology and methods for complex engineering products Intelligent products and manufacturing systems; life-time sensing and iterative design of intelligent products; new hybrid manufacturing methods and equipment; adaptive process planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Guo Dong Goh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, A*Star, Singapore
Interests: 3D printing; polymer composites; fused filament fabrication; machine learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, or additive manufacturing (AM), has revolutionized the ways in which we manufacture structures, with advantages such as customized shapes, fast prototyping, minimized waste, and lower energy costs than traditional techniques. It has been employed for structural fabrication, with dimensions ranging from nano- to meter-scale, and is widely applied in areas such as optics, acoustics, electronics, mechanics, thermodynamics, biology, and medicine. The three-dimensional printing of polymer composite materials has attracted special attention due to its promise in improving, modifying, and diversifying the properties of generic materials by introducing reinforcements. Although it is still at an early stage, composite 3D printing is gaining traction within the manufacturing industry. It provides a quick and automated approach to manufacturing composite parts, which used to be labor-intensive and required highly skilled operators. The tool-free fabrication technique for composites not only makes the process of fabricating composite parts much faster and less costly, but also opens the possibility of multifunctional composite structures for new applications.  The aim of this Special Issue is to explore the latest achievements in computational design and fabrication, process optimization, intelligent measurement and control, machine learning-based 3D printing, polymer composite design, multifunctional smart polymers, and their fascinating applications.

Dr. Hao Wang
Dr. Yi Xiong
Dr. Guo Dong Goh
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • 3D printing
  • polymer composites
  • additive manufacturing
  • design and optimization
  • intelligent fabrication
  • smart materials and structures

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 5742 KiB  
Article
Effect of Material Extrusion Process Parameters to Enhance Water Vapour Adsorption Capacity of PLA/Wood Composite Printed Parts
by José A. Martínez-Sánchez, Pablo E. Romero, Francisco Comino, Esther Molero and Manuel Ruiz de Adana
Polymers 2024, 16(20), 2934; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16202934 - 19 Oct 2024
Viewed by 505
Abstract
This study aims to optimise the water vapour adsorption capacity of polylactic acid (PLA) and wood composite materials for application in dehumidification systems through material extrusion additive manufacturing. By analysing key process parameters, including nozzle diameter, layer height, and temperature, the research evaluates [...] Read more.
This study aims to optimise the water vapour adsorption capacity of polylactic acid (PLA) and wood composite materials for application in dehumidification systems through material extrusion additive manufacturing. By analysing key process parameters, including nozzle diameter, layer height, and temperature, the research evaluates their impact on the porosity and adsorption performance of the composite. Additionally, the influence of different infill densities on moisture absorption is investigated. The results show that increasing wood content significantly enhances water vapour adsorption, with nozzle diameter and layer height identified as the most critical factors. These findings confirm that composite materials, especially those with higher wood content and optimised printing parameters, offer promising solutions for improving dehumidification efficiency. Potential applications include heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems or environmental control. This work introduces an innovative approach to using composite materials in desiccant-based dehumidification and provides a solid foundation for future research. Further studies could focus on optimising material formulations and scaling this approach for broader industrial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composites)
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40 pages, 9960 KiB  
Article
Statistical Analysis of Large Format Additively Manufactured Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol with 30% Carbon Fiber Tensile Data
by Katie A. Martin, Jedadiah F. Burroughs and Guillermo A. Riveros
Polymers 2024, 16(19), 2812; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192812 - 4 Oct 2024
Viewed by 801
Abstract
In large format additive manufacturing (LFAM), a keener understanding of the relationship between the manufacture method and material temperature dependency is needed for the production of large polymer parts. Statistical analyses supported by material properties and a meso-structural understanding of LFAM are applied [...] Read more.
In large format additive manufacturing (LFAM), a keener understanding of the relationship between the manufacture method and material temperature dependency is needed for the production of large polymer parts. Statistical analyses supported by material properties and a meso-structural understanding of LFAM are applied to elucidate tensile data trends. The data from LFAM polyethylene terephthalate glycol with 30% carbon fiber (CF) (PETG CF30%) panels (diagonal, horizontal, and vertical in the x-y print plane) and injection-molded specimens tensile tested at six different testing temperatures (room temperature, 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, and 80 °C) were used for statistical analyses. A standard deviation, a coefficient of variation, and a two-way and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted. The manufacturing method (44.2%) and temperature (47.4%) have a strong effect on the ultimate tensile strength, in which temperature (82.6%) dominates Young's modulus. To explain the difference between the ultimate tensile strength of vertical, diagonal, and horizontal specimens at room temperature, a visual inspection of the specimen failure was conducted and the maximum stress at the crack tip was calculated analytically. The decreased strength in the diagonal specimens resulted from the reliance on interlaminar adhesion strength. Future work will consider the effect of the void space variation on tensile strength variance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composites)
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24 pages, 13268 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Study of Mechanical, Electrical and Biological Properties of Conductive Polymer Composites for Medical Applications through Additive Manufacturing
by Emese Paari-Molnar, Kinga Kardos, Roland Told, Imre Simon, Nitin Sahai, Peter Szabo, Judit Bovari-Biri, Alexandra Steinerbrunner-Nagy, Judit E. Pongracz, Szilard Rendeki and Peter Maroti
Polymers 2024, 16(18), 2625; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16182625 - 17 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1142
Abstract
Conductive polymer composites are commonly present in flexible electrodes for neural interfaces, implantable sensors, and aerospace applications. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a widely used additive manufacturing technology, where conductive filaments frequently contain carbon-based fillers. In this study, the static and dynamic mechanical [...] Read more.
Conductive polymer composites are commonly present in flexible electrodes for neural interfaces, implantable sensors, and aerospace applications. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a widely used additive manufacturing technology, where conductive filaments frequently contain carbon-based fillers. In this study, the static and dynamic mechanical properties and the electrical properties (resistance, signal transmission, resistance measurements during cyclic tensile, bending and temperature tests) were investigated for polylactic acid (PLA)-based, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)-based, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based, and polyamide (PA)-based conductive filaments with carbon-based additives. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was implemented to evaluate the results. Cytotoxicity measurements were performed. The conductive ABS specimens have a high gauge factor between 0.2% and 1.0% strain. All tested materials, except the PA-based conductive composite, are suitable for low-voltage applications such as 3D-printed EEG and EMG sensors. ABS-based and TPU-based conductive composites are promising raw materials suitable for temperature measuring and medical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composites)
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18 pages, 15963 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Fatigue Resistance of Polylactic Acid through Natural Reinforcement in Material Extrusion
by Carolina Bermudo Gamboa, Sergio Martín-Béjar, Fermín Bañón García and Lorenzo Sevilla Hurtado
Polymers 2024, 16(17), 2422; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16172422 - 27 Aug 2024
Viewed by 541
Abstract
This research paper aims to enhance the fatigue resistance of polylactic acid (PLA) in Material Extrusion (ME) by incorporating natural reinforcement, focusing on rotational bending fatigue. The study investigates the fatigue behavior of PLA in ME, using various natural fibers such as cellulose, [...] Read more.
This research paper aims to enhance the fatigue resistance of polylactic acid (PLA) in Material Extrusion (ME) by incorporating natural reinforcement, focusing on rotational bending fatigue. The study investigates the fatigue behavior of PLA in ME, using various natural fibers such as cellulose, coffee, and flax as potential reinforcements. It explores the optimization of printing parameters to address challenges like warping and shrinkage, which can affect dimensional accuracy and fatigue performance, particularly under the rotational bending conditions analyzed. Cellulose emerges as the most promising natural fiber reinforcement for PLA in ME, exhibiting superior resistance to warping and shrinkage. It also demonstrates minimal geometrical deviations, enabling the production of components with tighter dimensional tolerances. Additionally, the study highlights the significant influence of natural fiber reinforcement on the dimensional deviations and rotational fatigue behavior of printed components. The fatigue resistance of PLA was significantly improved with natural fiber reinforcements. Specifically, PLA reinforced with cellulose showed an increase in fatigue life, achieving up to 13.7 MPa stress at 70,000 cycles compared to unreinforced PLA. PLA with coffee and flax fibers also demonstrated enhanced performance, with stress values reaching 13.6 MPa and 13.5 MPa, respectively, at similar cycle counts. These results suggest that natural fiber reinforcements can effectively improve the fatigue resistance and dimensional stability of PLA components produced by ME. This paper contributes to the advancement of additive manufacturing by introducing natural fiber reinforcement as a sustainable solution to enhance PLA performance under rotational bending fatigue conditions. It offers insights into the comparative effectiveness of natural fibers and synthetic counterparts, particularly emphasizing the superior performance of cellulose. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composites)
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14 pages, 5334 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Mechanical and Thermal Properties of 3D-Printed Samples Using Mica-Epoxy Acrylate Resin Composites—Via Digital Light Processing (DLP)
by Velmurugan Senthooran, Zixiang Weng and Lixin Wu
Polymers 2024, 16(8), 1148; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16081148 - 19 Apr 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1506
Abstract
Digital light processing (DLP) techniques are widely employed in various engineering and design fields, particularly additive manufacturing. Acrylate resins utilized in DLP processes are well known for their versatility, which enables the production of defect-free 3D-printed products with excellent mechanical properties. This study [...] Read more.
Digital light processing (DLP) techniques are widely employed in various engineering and design fields, particularly additive manufacturing. Acrylate resins utilized in DLP processes are well known for their versatility, which enables the production of defect-free 3D-printed products with excellent mechanical properties. This study aims to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of 3D-printed samples by incorporating mica as an inorganic filler at different concentrations (5%, 10%, and 15%) and optimizing the dispersion by adding a KH570 silane coupling agent. In this study, mica was introduced as a filler and combined with epoxy acrylate resin to fabricate a 3D-printed sample. Varying concentrations of mica (5%, 10%, and 15% w/w) were mixed with the epoxy acrylate resin at a concentration of 10%, demonstrating a tensile strength increase of 85% and a flexural strength increase of 132%. Additionally, thermal characteristics were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and successful morphological investigations were conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Digital light-processing technology was selected for its printing accuracy and cost-effectiveness. The results encompass comprehensive studies of the mechanical, thermal, and morphological aspects that contribute to the advancement of additive manufacturing technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composites)
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15 pages, 4974 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Mechanical Properties of PUMA/SiO2 Ceramic Composites via Digital Light Processing
by Jiwan Kang, Seong Hyeon Park and Keun Park
Polymers 2024, 16(2), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16020193 - 9 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1104
Abstract
This study aims to enhance the mechanical properties of additively manufactured polymer parts by incorporating ceramic particles (SiO2) into diluted urethane methacrylate (UDMA) photopolymer resin using digital light processing (DLP) technology. The resulting PUMA/SiO2 composites, featuring varying SiO2 contents [...] Read more.
This study aims to enhance the mechanical properties of additively manufactured polymer parts by incorporating ceramic particles (SiO2) into diluted urethane methacrylate (UDMA) photopolymer resin using digital light processing (DLP) technology. The resulting PUMA/SiO2 composites, featuring varying SiO2 contents (16.7, 28.5, and 37.5 wt%) and processed under different conditions, underwent a comprehensive series of mechanical, thermal, and chemical tests. Hardness tests showed that composites with 37.5 wt% SiO2 demonstrated superior hardness with low sensitivity to processing conditions. Bending tests indicated that elevated vat temperatures tended to degrade flexural properties, yet this degradation was mitigated in the case of the 37.5 wt% SiO2 composition. Tensile tests revealed a transition from viscoelastic to linear elastic behaviors with increasing SiO2 content, with high tensile strength sustained at low vat temperatures (<35 °C) when the SiO2 content exceeded 28.5 wt%. Thermogravimetric analysis supported these findings, indicating that increased SiO2 content ensured a more uniform dispersion, enhancing mechanical properties consequently. Thermal tests showed augmented thermal conductivity and diffusivity with reduced specific heat in SiO2-inclusive composites. This study provides guidelines for optimal PUMA/SiO2 composite utilization that emphasizes high SiO2 content and low vat temperature, offering comprehensive insights for high-performance ceramic composite fabrication in functional applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composites)
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25 pages, 6410 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Degradability, Mechanical Properties, and Flame Retardation of Poly(Lactic Acid) Composite with New Zealand Jade (Pounamu) Particles
by Lilian Lin, Quang A. Dang and Heon E. Park
Polymers 2023, 15(15), 3270; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15153270 - 1 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1363
Abstract
Plastic pollution has become a global concern, demanding urgent attention and concerted efforts to mitigate its environmental impacts. Biodegradable plastics have emerged as a potential solution, offering the prospect of reduced harm through degradation over time. However, the lower mechanical strength and slower [...] Read more.
Plastic pollution has become a global concern, demanding urgent attention and concerted efforts to mitigate its environmental impacts. Biodegradable plastics have emerged as a potential solution, offering the prospect of reduced harm through degradation over time. However, the lower mechanical strength and slower degradation process of biodegradable plastics have hindered their widespread adoption. In this study, we investigate the incorporation of New Zealand (NZ) jade (pounamu) particles into poly(lactic acid) (PLA) to enhance the performance of the resulting composite. We aim to improve mechanical strength, flame retardation, and degradability. The material properties and compatibility with 3D printing technology were examined through a series of characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, 3D printing, compression molding, pycnometry, rheometry, tensile tests, three-point bending, and flammability testing. Our findings demonstrate that the addition of NZ jade particles significantly affects the density, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of the composites. Compounding NZ jade shows two different changes in thermal stability. It reduces flammability suggesting potential flame-retardant properties, and it accelerates the thermal degradation process as observed from the thermogravimetric analysis and the inferred decrease in molecular weight through rheometry. Thus, the presence of jade particles can also have the potential to enhance biodegradation, although further research is needed to assess its impact. The mechanical properties differ between compression-molded and 3D-printed samples, with compression-molded composites exhibiting higher strength and stiffness. Increasing jade content in composites further enhances their mechanical performance. Th results of this study contribute to the development of sustainable solutions for plastic pollution, paving the way for innovative applications and a cleaner environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composites)
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11 pages, 2706 KiB  
Article
Three-Dimensional-Printed Carbon Nanotube/Polylactic Acid Composite for Efficient Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
by Zhenzhen Xu, Tiantian Dou, Yazhou Wang, Hongmei Zuo, Xinyu Chen, Mingchun Zhang and Lihua Zou
Polymers 2023, 15(14), 3080; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15143080 - 18 Jul 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2029
Abstract
High-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with ultralow density and environment-friendly properties are greatly demanded to address electromagnetic radiation pollution. Herein, carbon nanotube/polylactic acid (CNT/PLA) materials with different CNT contents, which exhibit characteristics of light weight, environmental protection and good chemical stability, are [...] Read more.
High-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with ultralow density and environment-friendly properties are greatly demanded to address electromagnetic radiation pollution. Herein, carbon nanotube/polylactic acid (CNT/PLA) materials with different CNT contents, which exhibit characteristics of light weight, environmental protection and good chemical stability, are fabricated using 3D printing technology, where CNTs are evenly distributed and bind well with PLA. The performances of 3D-printed CNT/PLA composites are improved compared to pure 3D-printed PLA composites, which include mechanical properties, conductive behaviors and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. The EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of CNT/PLA composites could be improved when the content of CNTs increase. When it reaches 15 wt%, the EMI SE of 3D-printed CNT/PLA composites could get up to 47.1 dB, which shields 99.998% of electromagnetic energy. Meanwhile, the EMI shielding mechanism of 3D-printed CNT/PLA composites is mainly of absorption loss, and it generally accounts for more than 80% of the total shielding loss. These excellent comprehensive performances endow a 3D-printed CNT/PLA composite with great potential for use in industrial and aerospace areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composites)
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