Impact of Particle Size on Performance of Selective Laser Sintering Walnut Shell/Co-PES Powder

Abstract

The agricultural and forestry waste walnut shell and copolyester hot-melt adhesives (Co-PES) powder were selected as feedstock. A kind of low-cost, low-power consumption, and environmentally friendly walnut shell/Co-PES powder composites (WSPC) was used for selective laser sintering (SLS). Though analyzing the size and morphology of walnut shell particle (≤550 μm) as well as performing an analysis of surface roughness, density, and mechanical test of WSPC parts with different particle sizes, results showed that the optimal mechanical performance (tensile strength of 2.011 MPa, bending strength of 3.5 MPa, impact strength of 0.718 KJ/m2) as walnut shell powder particle size was 80 to 120 μm. When walnut shell powder particle diameter was 120 to 180 μm, the minimum value of surface roughness of WSPC parts was 15.711 μm and density was approximately the maximum (0.926 g/cm3).

Keywords

• additive manufacturing
• selective laser sintering
• walnut shell
• particle size
• sintering quality