Fused Filament Fabrication 3D printed polypropylene/ alumina nanocomposites: Effect of filler loading on the mechanical reinforcement

Nectarios Vidakis; Markos Petousis; Emanuel Velidakis; Nikolaos Mountakis; Peder Erik Fischer-Griffiths; Sotirios A. Grammatikos; Lazaros Tzounis

Polymer Testing (May 2022)

Fused Filament Fabrication 3D printed polypropylene/ alumina nanocomposites: Effect of filler loading on the mechanical reinforcement

Nectarios Vidakis,
Markos Petousis,
Emanuel Velidakis,
Nikolaos Mountakis,
Peder Erik Fischer-Griffiths,
Sotirios A. Grammatikos,
Lazaros Tzounis

Affiliations

Nectarios Vidakis: Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Institute of Emerging Technologies (i-EMERGE) of HMU Research Center, Heraklion, 71410, Crete, Greece
Markos Petousis: Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Institute of Emerging Technologies (i-EMERGE) of HMU Research Center, Heraklion, 71410, Crete, Greece; Corresponding author. Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Emanuel Velidakis: Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Institute of Emerging Technologies (i-EMERGE) of HMU Research Center, Heraklion, 71410, Crete, Greece
Nikolaos Mountakis: Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Institute of Emerging Technologies (i-EMERGE) of HMU Research Center, Heraklion, 71410, Crete, Greece
Peder Erik Fischer-Griffiths: Laboratory of Advanced & Sustainable Engineering Materials (ASEMlab), Department of Manufacturing & Civil Engineering, NTNU-Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Building B’, Teknologivegen 22, 2815, Gjøvik, Norway
Sotirios A. Grammatikos: Laboratory of Advanced & Sustainable Engineering Materials (ASEMlab), Department of Manufacturing & Civil Engineering, NTNU-Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Building B’, Teknologivegen 22, 2815, Gjøvik, Norway; Corresponding author. Laboratory of Advanced & Sustainable Engineering Materials (ASEMlab), Department of Manufacturing & Civil Engineering, NTNU-Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Building B’, Teknologivegen 22, 2815, Gjøvik, Norway.
Lazaros Tzounis: Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Institute of Emerging Technologies (i-EMERGE) of HMU Research Center, Heraklion, 71410, Crete, Greece; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, 45110, Greece; Corresponding author. Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Estavromenos, 71004, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 109
p. 107545

Abstract

Read online

Three-dimensional (3D) printed Polypropylene (PP) reinforced with aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) were developed and fully characterized in this study. Nanocomposite filaments were produced initially following a melt mixing extrusion process, utillised as feedstock for the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) specimen manufacturing. Al2O3 NPs at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 wt% loadings were melt-mixed with the PP thermoplastic matrix. Specific geometry samples were 3D printed and analysed via tensile, flexural, viscoelastic, impact, microhardness and fractographic investigations. Raman spectroscopy verified the polymeric structure and the incorporated Al2O3 NPs within the polymer matrix. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) of the extruded filaments revealed the nanoscale roughness induced by the alumina nanoinclusions. All 3D printed nanocomposite structures exhibited enhanced tensile, flexural and thermomechanical properties. Specifically, the best combination was found for the 1.0 wt% loaded specimen showing a tensile and flexural strength increase by approx. 4% and 19%, respectively, with a concomitant slight increase in impact and microhardness properties compared to unfilled PP. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) revealed a stiffening mechanism for the PP/Al2O3 nanocomposites being in good agreement with the quasi-static mechanical tests. It could be envisaged that the 3D printed PP/Al2O3 nanocomposites developed herein could find numerous applications as engineered thermoplastics, where enhanced material's static and dynamic mechanical properties are required.

Published in Polymer Testing

ISSN: 0142-9418 (Print); 1873-2348 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Chemical technology: Polymers and polymer manufacture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/polymer-testing

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords