Thermal treatment and particle size effects on coalescence in extrusion-based additive manufacturing

Andrew Abbott, Gyaneshwar Tandon, Hilmar Koerner, Jeffery Baur, Katie Thorp

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Transverse and out-of-plane mechanical properties of objects fabricated by fused filament fabrication, an additive manufacturing technique, are typically 20-50% lower than bulk properties. A major contributor to this knockdown is poor raster-toraster and interlayer bond strength driven by incomplete polymer coalescence. The two major steps in the coalescence process responsible for bond strength development are neck growth and interfacial diffusion. The goal of this work is to explore the effects of temperature, time, and particle size on coalescence of ABS polymer in a controlled environment to identify appropriate thermal history to target during the printing process for enhanced raster-to-raster and interlayer bond strength. Particle size was found to have a significant impact on neck growth where doubling the size reduced the normalized neck growth by 58%. Diffusion was qualitatively assessed by tracking absorbance of red pigment from a red colored ABS particle into the neighboring white ABS particle at 550 nm. Smaller particle size held at elevated temperature for longer time had pigment diffusion across longer distances from the neck region. Results suggest that smaller diameter rasters promote faster and more complete coalescence.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication32nd Technical Conference of the American Society for Composites 2017
EditorsR. Byron Pipes, Wenbin Yu, Johnathan Goodsell
PublisherDEStech Publications Inc.
Pages2735-2746
Number of pages12
ISBN (Electronic)9781510853065
StatePublished - 2017
Externally publishedYes
Event32nd Technical Conference of the American Society for Composites 2017 - West Lafayette, United States
Duration: Oct 23 2017Oct 25 2017

Publication series

Name32nd Technical Conference of the American Society for Composites 2017
Volume4

Other

Other32nd Technical Conference of the American Society for Composites 2017
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityWest Lafayette
Period10/23/1710/25/17

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ceramics and Composites

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