Additive manufacturing of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites using fused deposition modeling

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have been successfully applied in various applications. Fused deposition modeling (FDM), one of the most popular AM techniques, is the most widely used method for fabricating thermoplastic parts those are mainly used as rapid prototypes for functional testing with advantages of low cost, minimal wastage, and ease of material change. Due to the intrinsically limited mechanical properties of pure thermoplastic materials, there is a critical need to improve mechanical properties for FDM-fabricated pure thermoplastic parts. One of the possible methods is adding reinforced materials (such as carbon fibers) into plastic materials to form thermoplastic matrix carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites those could be directly used in the actual application areas, such as aerospace, automotive, and wind energy. This paper is going to present FDM of thermoplastic matrix CFRP composites and test if adding carbon fiber (different content and length) can improve the mechanical properties of FDM-fabricated parts. The CFRP feedstock filaments were fabricated from plastic pellets and carbon fiber powders for FDM process. After FDM fabrication, effects on the tensile properties (including tensile strength, Young's modulus, toughness, yield strength, and ductility) and flexural properties (including flexural stress, flexural modulus, flexural toughness, and flexural yield strength) of specimens were experimentally investigated. In order to explore the parts fracture reasons during tensile and flexural tests, fracture interface of CFRP composite specimens after tensile testing and flexural testing was observed and analyzed using SEM micrograph.     

Development and Characterization of the Midrib of Coconut Palm Leaf Reinforced Polyester Composite

In this paper, midrib of coconut palm leaves (MCL) was investigated for the purpose of development of natural fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites. A new natural fiber composite as MCL/polyester is developed by the hand lay-up method, and the material and mechanical properties of the fiber, matrix and composite materials were evaluated. The effect of fiber content on the tensile, flexural, impact, compressive strength and heat distortion temperature (HDT) was investigated. It was found that the MCL fiber had the maximum tensile strength, tensile modulus flexural strength, flexural modulus and Izod impact strength of 177.5MPa, 14.85GPa, 316.04MPa and 23.54GPa, 8.23KJ/m² respectively. Reinforcement of MCL enhanced the mechanical properties of pure polyester, including that of tensile strength (by 26%), tensile modulus (by 356%), flexural strength (by 41.81%), flexural modulus (by 169%) and Izod impact strength (by 23 times), but the compressive strength was adversely affected. HDT decreased due to fiber loading, but increased with weight fraction of fiber content. Moreover, the experimental results were compared with theoretical model (Rule of mixture) and other natural fiber /polyester composites.     

Thermal and mechanical properties of 3D printed boron nitride – ABS composites

The current work investigates the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of Boron Nitride (BN)-Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) composites prepared using both 3D printing and injection molding. The thermally conductive, yet electrically insulating composite material provides a unique combination of properties that make it desirable for heat dissipation and packaging applications in electronics. Materials were fabricated via melt mixing on a twin-screw compounder, then injection molded or extruded into filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. Compositions of up to 35 wt.% BN in ABS were prepared, and the infill orientation of the 3D printed composites was varied to investigate the effect on properties. Injection molding produced a maximum in-plane conductivity of 1.45 W/m-K at 35 wt.% BN, whereas 3D printed samples of 35 wt.% BN showed a value of 0.93 W/m-K, over 5 times the conductivity of pure ABS. The resulting thermal conductivity is anisotropic; with the through-plane thermal conductivity lower by a factor of ~3 for injection molding and ~4 for 3D printing. Adding BN flakes caused a modest increase in the flexural modulus, but resulted in a large decrease in the flexural strength and impact toughness. It is shown that although injection molding produces parts with superior thermal and mechanical properties, BN shows much potential as a filler material for rapid prototyping of thermally conductive composites.     

几种不同改性剂对稻草/丙烯腈-丁二烯-苯乙烯复合材料性能的影响

以稻草纤维及丙烯腈-丁二烯-苯乙烯（ABS）为原料,分别以活性炭、Al₂O₃、SiO₂和硅烷偶联剂为增强改性剂,通过混炼-模压工艺制备了改性剂-稻草/ABS复合材料,对比研究了几种不同增强改性剂的增强效果及其增强机制。结果表明：硅烷偶联剂对稻草/ABS复合材料的增强效果较差,活性炭、Al₂O₃和SiO₂对稻草/ABS复合材料的增强均优于硅烷偶联剂,其中Al₂O₃的增强效果最佳。当Al₂O₃的添加量（Al₂O₃∶ABS质量比）为5%时,Al₂O₃-稻草/ABS复合材料的拉伸、弯曲及冲击强度分别达到最大值27.719 MPa、61.05 MPa和26.53 kJ/m²;当无机物添加量（无机物∶ABS质量比）为5%时,复合材料的耐水性能表现为：5% Al₂O₃ > 5%活性炭 > 5% SiO₂ > 未添加,与复合材料的力学性能梯度相符;改性剂-稻草/ABS复合材料的流变性能则表现为：5%活性炭 > 5% Al₂O₃ > 5% SiO₂ > 未添加。     

静电植绒法处理多壁碳纳米管改性玻纤织物/环氧树脂复合材料的制备及力学性能

为提高玻纤增强环氧树脂复合材料的力学性能,采用静电植绒法将多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)附着在玻纤织物表面,得到改性的玻纤织物。利用一种低黏度的环氧树脂和所制得的改性织物,采用真空辅助成型工艺(VARI)制备了MWCNTs改性格玻纤织物/环氧树脂复合材料层合板,表征了层合板的力学性能。对进行力学实验后的MWCNTs改性玻纤织物/环氧树脂复合材料试样断口进行了SEM和OPM观察。结果显示:与未添加MWCNTs的玻纤织物/环氧树脂复合材料层合板相比,添加了MWCNTs的层合板的拉伸强度降低了10.24%,弯曲强度降低了13.90%,压缩强度降低了17.33%,拉伸模量和弯曲模量分别提高了19.38%和16.04%,压缩模量提高了13%;MWCNTs与玻纤织物之间的结合较弱,在拉伸作用下,存在明显的脱粘和分层;将改性玻纤织物在200℃下热压处理2h后,制备的MWCNTs改性玻纤织物/环氧树脂复合材料层合板的力学性能均有所提高,热压处理后树脂与玻纤织物之间的界面结合得到改善。     

适于快速成型制造工艺的短纤维增强复合材料研究

对短切玻璃纤维增强ABS 复合材料进行了一系列的改性研究。短切玻纤的加入, 能提高纯ABS 的强度、硬度且显著降低ABS 的收缩率, 减小制品的形变, 但同时使材料变脆。本实验通过适量加入增韧剂和增容剂, 较大提高了挤出的复合材料丝的韧性及力学性能, 从而使制备出的短切玻璃纤维增强复合材料适用于熔融沉积制造(FDM ) 工艺。并用改性了的短切玻璃纤维增强ABS 作为原料, 在快速成型机上制备试样, 测定其力学性能, 从宏观及微观上对改性效果进行了分析与评定。     

Utilization of sweet sorghum fiber to reinforce fly ash-based geopolymer

Geopolymer has been of great research interest as a material for sustainable development. As ordinary Portland cement, however, geopolymer exhibits brittle behavior with low tensile strength, ductility, and fracture toughness. This paper investigates the reinforcement of fly ash-based geopolymer with alkali-pretreated sweet sorghum fiber. The sweet sorghum fiber comes from the bagasse (residue), a waste after the juice is extracted from sweet sorghum stalks for ethanol production. Specifically, the unit weight of fly ash-based geopolymer specimens containing different contents of sweet sorghum fibers was measured. Unconfined compression, splitting tensile, and flexural tests were conducted to investigate the effect of incorporated sweet sorghum fiber on the mechanical properties of fly ash-based geopolymer. Scanning electron microscopy imaging was also performed to study the microstructure of the sweet sorghum fiber–geopolymer composite. The results indicate that the unit weight of the sweet sorghum fiber–geopolymer composite decreases with higher fiber content. Although the inclusion of sweet sorghum fiber slightly decreases the unconfined compressive strength, the splitting tensile, and flexural strengths as well as the post-peak toughness increase with the fiber content up to 2 % and then start to decrease. The splitting tensile tests also clearly show the transition from the brittle failure of the plain geopolymer specimen to the “ductile” failure of the geopolymer specimen containing sweet sorghum fiber.     

高强高模聚酰亚胺纤维/环氧树脂复合材料力学性能与破坏机制

以高强高模聚酰亚胺（PI）纤维为增强体,以航空级环氧树脂（EP）为基体,通过热熔法制备预浸料并采用热压罐成型技术制备了PI/EP复合材料层合板,对其力学性能和破坏形貌进行了分析。结果表明:高强高模PI纤维与EP具有良好的界面结合力,PI/EP复合材料的层间剪切强度为65.2 MPa,面内剪切强度为68.6 MPa;良好的界面结合状态能充分发挥PI纤维优异的力学性能,PI/EP复合材料的纵向拉伸强度达1 835 MPa,弯曲强度为834 MPa;PI/EP复合材料纵向拉伸破坏模式为散丝爆炸破坏,同时由于高强高模PI纤维还具有优异的韧性和较高的断裂伸长率,PI/EP复合材料从受力到失效断裂的时间较长;PI/EP复合材料纵向压缩破坏模式为45°折曲带破坏。高强高模PI/EP复合材料为航空航天先进复合材料增加了一个全新的选材方案。      

改性纳米碱式氯化镁晶须填充ABS/PP复合材料的力学性能

本文通过熔融共混法在接枝了PMMA的碱式氯化镁（g-BMC）表面包覆TPE橡胶层,制得BMC母料,再将其与PP、ABS共混复合制备出ABS/PP复合材料,分别考察了BMC母料、g-BMC以及PP三者不同添加量对复合材料力学性能的影响。结果表明,在试验用量范围内,BMC/ABS复合材料的冲击强度和熔融指数随着BMC填料含量的增加而增大。当BMC母料含量为15%,g-BMC含量为55%时具有较好的冲击性能;当PP含量为9%-10%时,BMC/PP/ABS复合材料的拉伸强度和冲击强度最好;BMC填料含量对复合材料的拉伸强度影响较小,但随其用量增加复合材料的冲击强度有明显提高。     

碳纤维增强热塑性聚酰亚胺及其复合材料

采用双螺杆共混挤出法,在热塑性聚酰亚胺(TPI)树脂中添加碳纤维(CF)进行复合增强,实验研究了碳纤维种类、加入量及成型方法对复合材料力学性能的影响.结果表明:碳纤维的加入能显著提高材料的常温和高温力学强度,并与碳纤维种类有关;复合材料的拉伸和弯曲强度均随着碳纤维加入量的增大而升高;相对于模压成型方法,注塑成型可获得更高强度的复合材料.由扫描电镜(SEM)观察到的材料拉伸和弯曲断面的微结构形貌,初步探讨了碳纤维的增强机理.     

抗氧剂/光稳定剂对3D打印光致变色木塑复合材料性能的影响

功能性光致变色木塑复合材料(PWPC)使用寿命通常较短,因此本研究将抗氧剂1010和光稳定剂770引入到PWPC中,以改善复合材料的力学和耐光疲劳等性能。采用熔融共混法制得杨木粉/聚乳酸(WF/PLA)基光致变色复合材料,通过熔融沉积技术(FDM)打印成型,对制备的WF/PLA复合材料力学、界面相容性、热稳定性和耐光疲劳性能进行分析表征。与WF/PLA复合材料相比,当只添加抗氧剂1010时,WF/PLA复合材料拉伸、弯曲和冲击强度分别提高了42.58%、23.25%、6.52%;只添加光稳定剂770时,WF/PLA复合材料拉伸强度提高,弯曲强度和冲击强度均下降。当抗氧剂1010与光稳定剂770以质量比为1∶1添加到WF/PLA复合材料中时,在这两种助剂的协同作用下,WF/PLA复合材料的拉伸强度提高了1.8%,弯曲和冲击强度分别减小了9.3%和22.1%,相比于其他复配体系样品,力学性能降低幅度最低。此外,与WF/PLA复合材料相比,抗氧剂1010与光稳定剂770质量比为1∶1的WF/PLA复合材料的热降解性能和耐光变疲劳性能得到改善,质量损失为5%时的温度为219.84℃。老化第10天,其表面颜色变化值ΔE由5.3增至6.7,增加了26.7%。      

PBS增韧改性MWNTs/PLA导电3D 打印耗材的制备及性能

为解决多壁碳纳米管/聚乳酸(MWNTs/PLA)导电打印耗材变脆的问题,本文利用双螺杆熔融共混方法,制备了聚丁二酸丁二醇酯(PBS)增韧改性的MWNTs/PLA复合材料。研究发现,PBS添加量对复合材料的性能有显著影响。随PBS含量增加,复合材料的电阻率升高,断裂伸长率和冲击强度明显提高,但拉伸强度、弯曲强度和硬度有所降低。当PBS含量为10%时,共混复合材料的综合性能最好,并根据最佳条件制成具有一定韧性的导电3D打印耗材,实际使用效果良好。     

钢-聚丙烯纤维增强人造花岗岩复合材料的制备与性能

为深入研究钢-聚丙烯纤维增强人造花岗岩复合材料（钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩）抗压、抗弯强度的影响因素,通过排水法实验研究了骨料堆积的空隙率,确定了骨料级配和实验指数q并对大量试件进行了抗压、抗弯强度测试,分析了钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩复合材料各组分质量分数、骨料堆积空隙率等因素对钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩复合材料抗压、抗弯强度的影响。实验结果表明:钢纤维与聚丙烯纤维能够明显增大钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩复合材料的抗弯强度,随着钢-聚丙烯纤维质量分数的增加,钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩复合材料试件的抗压和抗弯强度都逐渐增大;当钢纤维与聚丙烯纤维质量比为30∶1、钢-聚丙烯纤维质量分数为1.7wt%时,钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩复合材料试件的抗压强度达到最大,当钢-聚丙烯纤维质量分数为1.9wt%时,钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩试件的抗弯强度达到最大;黏结剂质量分数越接近骨料堆积空隙率,钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩复合材料试件的抗压和抗弯强度越大,当骨料质量分数为80wt%、黏结剂质量分数为11wt%时,钢-聚丙烯纤维/人造花岗岩复合材料试件的抗压、抗弯强度同时达到最大。      

Tensile and flexural properties of injection-moulded short glass fibre and glass bead ABS composites in the presence of weldlines

The effect of weldline on tensile and flexural properties of ABS reinforced with short glass fibres (ABS/GF) and spherical glass beads (ABS/GB) was investigated as a function of glass fibre and glass bead concentrations. The weldline was formed in the moulded specimens by direct impingement of two opposing melt fronts (i.e. cold weld). It was found that elastic modulus of ABS/GF composites, with or without weldlines increased linearly with increasing volume fraction of fibres (ϕ_f), according to the rule-of-mixtures for moduli. The presence of weldline reduced tensile and flexural modulus of the ABS/GF composites. Weldline integrity factor for elastic modulus of ABS/GF composites decreased linearly with increasing ϕ_f. Results showed that tensile and flexural strength of ABS/GF increased with increasing ϕ_f in a nonlinear fashion. Flexural strength was consistently greater than tensile strength for the same ϕ_f. Weldline affected both strengths in a significant way; weldline integrity factor decreased with increasing ϕ_f and was independent of loading mode. Tensile and flexural modulus of ABS/GB composites increased linearly with increasing volume fraction of glass beads (ϕ_b), showing no loading mode dependency. Although modulus of the ABS/GB system was not affected significantly by the weldline, its strength was affected, and more so in flexure than in tension. Weld and unweld strengths decreased with increasing ϕ_b in both tension and flexure according to Piggott and Leidner relationship; for the same ϕ_b, flexural strength was always greater than tensile strength. Weldline integrity factor for tensile strength of ABS/GF system was considerably lower than that for ABS/GB system but weldline integrity factor for flexural strength was almost the same for the two composite systems.     

玻璃纤维含量对竹粉/高密度聚乙烯复合材料性能的影响

为利用玻璃纤维提高木塑复合材料的综合性能,探讨玻璃纤维含量对竹粉/高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)复合材料性能的影响规律,首先,采用A-171硅烷偶联剂对竹粉表面进行了改性,并加入了一定量的玻璃纤维;然后,采用热压成型工艺制备了玻璃纤维-竹粉/HDPE复合材料;最后,考察了玻璃纤维含量对复合材料力学性能、热学性能及摩擦学性能的影响,并利用SEM观察材料的断面和磨损表面形貌。结果表明:当玻璃纤维含量为3wt%时,能显著提高竹粉/HDPE复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度,与未添加玻璃纤维的复合材料相比,添加玻璃纤维后复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度分别提高了19.41%和23.54%;在30~60℃温度范围内,复合材料长度-宽度方向上的线膨胀系数随着玻璃纤维含量的增加而明显减小,而同一复合材料的线膨胀系数随温度的升高而逐步增大;在氮气气氛下,随玻璃纤维含量的增加,竹粉/HDPE复合材料的摩擦系数先逐渐增大,而后基本保持不变,磨损率逐渐减小。所得结论显示玻璃纤维含量为3wt%~7wt%的木塑产品适用于建筑横梁(如凉亭或桥梁等),而玻璃纤维含量为7wt%~10wt%的木塑产品适用于高人流量场所(如公园或休闲绿道等)的地面铺装。      

Mechanical properties of pultruded glass fiber-reinforced plastic after moistening

The kinetics of moisture sorption under immersion in water at room and elevated temperatures and flexural characteristics of dry (conditionally initial) and wet (moistened up to saturation level) composite material were investigated on flat specimens of polyester based glass fiber-reinforced plastic, cut from I-beam pultruded profile. It was found that the coefficients of diffusion and swelling are different in three principal axis of the composite. The former have the largest value in fiber axis direction, but the latter – in transverse to fiber axis direction out of plane of the layers. The observed difference in kinetics of mass gain and change of volume strain for the specimens of various sizes allowed evaluate the volume of pores, filled with water. The large data spread for the specimens, cut from the flanges, was found. Edge specimens have lower density and showed lower elastic and strength characteristics. The material specimens moistened up to saturation level showed the decrease in flexural modulus and strength for 8% and 16.5%, respectively. No effect of sorbed moisture on tensile modulus and strength of the composite (tension along the fiber axis direction) was found.     

原位聚合法制备连续玻璃纤维增强PCBT复合材料及其性能

采用环状对苯二甲酸丁二醇酯(CBT)原位聚合制备了连续玻璃纤维(GF)增强聚环状对苯二甲酸丁二醇酯(PCBT)复合材料。考察了聚合反应中催化剂用量对PCBT结晶度以及GF/PCBT复合材料力学性能的影响。当催化剂用量为0.5%(质量分数)时, PCBT的结晶度为53%, GF/PCBT的力学性能达到最佳, 拉伸强度为522 MPa, 拉伸模量为27 GPa, 弯曲强度为481 MPa, 弯曲模量为24.8 GPa, 层间剪切强度(ILSS)为43 MPa。SEM观察表明, 发现催化剂用量为0.5%时, 树脂与纤维的结合性较好。进一步研究了淬火和退火后处理对复合材料力学性能的影响。发现复合材料退火处理后具有较好的力学性能, 其中拉伸强度为545 MPa, 弯曲强度为495 MPa。     

Interface and performance of 3D printed continuous carbon fiber reinforced PLA composites

A novel 3D printing based fabrication process of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites (CFRTPCs) was proposed. Continuous carbon fiber and PLA filament were utilized as reinforcing phase and matrix, respectively, and simultaneously fed into the fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing process realizing the integrated preparation and forming of CFRTPCs. Interfaces and performance of printed composites were systematically studied by analyzing the influencing of process parameters on the temperature and pressure in the process. Forming mechanism of multiple interfaces was proposed and utilized to explain the correlations between process and performance. Fiber content of the printed specimens can be easily controlled by changing the process parameters. When the fiber content reached 27%, flexural strength of 335 MPa and modulus of 30 GPa were obtained for the printed composite specimens. Composite components were fabricated to demonstrate the process feasibility. Potential applications could be found in the field of aviation and aerospace.     

A study of the mechanical properties of short natural-fiber reinforced composites

The degree of fiber–matrix adhesion and its effect on the mechanical reinforcement of short henequen fibers and a polyethylene matrix was studied. The surface treatments were: an alkali treatment, a silane coupling agent and the pre-impregnation process of the HDPE/xylene solution. The presence of Si–O–cellulose and Si–O–Si bonds on the lignocellulosic surface confirmed that the silane coupling agent was efficiently held on the fibres surface through both condensation with cellulose hydroxyl groups and self-condensation between silanol groups.

The fiber–matrix interface shear strength (IFSS) was used as an indicator of the fiber–matrix adhesion improvement, and also to determine a suitable value of fiber length in order to process the composite with relative ease. It was noticed that the IFSS observed for the different fiber surface treatments increased and such interface strength almost doubled only by changing the mechanical interaction and the chemical interactions between fiber and matrix.

HDPE-henequen fiber composite materials were prepared with a 20% v/v fiber content and the tensile, flexural and shear properties were studied. The comparison of tensile properties of the composites showed that the silane treatment and the matrix-resin pre-impregnation process of the fiber produced a significant increase in tensile strength, while the tensile modulus remained relatively unaffected. The increase in tensile strength was only possible when the henequen fibers were treated first with an alkaline solution. It was also shown that the silane treatment produced a significant increase in flexural strength while the flexural modulus also remained relatively unaffected. The shear properties of the composites also increased significantly, but, only when the henequen fibers were treated with the silane coupling agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of the composites failure surfaces also indicated that there is an improved adhesion between fiber and matrix. Examination of the failure surfaces also indicated differences in the interfacial failure mode. With increasing fiber–matrix adhesion the failure mode changed from interfacial failure and considerable fiber pull-out from the matrix for the untreated fiber to matrix yielding and fiber and matrix tearing for the alkaline, matrix-resin pre-impregnation and silane treated fibers.     

浸泡腐蚀对玻璃纤维-空心玻璃微珠/环氧树脂复合泡沫材料弯曲性能的影响

制备了不同纤维质量分数的玻璃纤维-空心玻璃微珠/环氧树脂复合泡沫材料。通过三点弯曲试验研究了纤维质量分数对复合泡沫材料力学性能的影响。将复合泡沫材料试件置于蒸馏水和海水中浸泡,研究了浸泡腐蚀对试件弯曲性能的影响,并结合扫描电镜照片分析其原因。研究表明:纤维质量分数越高,玻璃纤维-空心玻璃微珠/环氧树脂复合泡沫材料的吸湿率越大,且在蒸馏水中的吸湿率较海水中的更大。试件的弯曲强度随纤维质量分数增加而增大,当纤维质量分数为10%时达到最大,比未添加纤维的试件增强了51%,之后则随纤维质量分数增加逐渐降低。浸泡腐蚀降低了试件的弯曲性能,其中海水浸泡后的试件弯曲性能最低。玻璃纤维-空心玻璃微珠/环氧树脂复合泡沫材料弯曲强度降低的直接原因是浸泡腐蚀使得部分玻璃微珠和玻璃纤维与环氧树脂基体间的界面层受到破坏。