DOI: https://doi.org/10.55373/mjchem.v27i3.427

Keywords: Polylactic acid; compressive strength; extrusion-based 3D printing; additive manufacturing; carbon fibers

Abstract

Improving the strength and stiffness of additively manufactured components has recently attracted a lot of attention from engineers and scientists. This study found that using an additive manufacturing approach based on simultaneous impregnation extrusion (SIE) increased the compression of polylactic acid (PLA) composites strengthened with carbon fibers (CFs). By employing a side nozzle, this technique coats fibers with molten polymer before depositing them onto a substrate or layers that have already been laid. Without the necessity for pre-impregnated fibers, this approach can be applied to a wide variety of reinforcing phases and matrices, which is its primary advantage. There is a wide variety of fibers and thermoplastics to choose from. We examined tensile lateral strain in compression by placing the fibers perpendicular and parallel to the load direction. Because of this, we were able to determine the effect of fiber orientation. When tested with parallel and perpendicular raster orientations, pristine PLA showed compressive values of 84.6 MPa and 72.3 MPa, respectively. Because the fibers were aligned in a parallel pattern, the composite samples showed separation among the PLA and CF, and they had a compression properties of 41.8±1.3 MPa. But when the fibers were aligned perpendicularly, the compressive strength went up to 94±1.2 MPa. Findings from this study mostly pertain to a method for enhancing composite samples' compressive strength by inserting fibers at an angle. When a compressive force is applied, this design causes transverse strain. Composite samples exhibit improved compressive strength as a result of tensile stress applied to fibers. Tensile stress acting in the opposite direction was applied to several spots, particularly the ends of polished squared cross-sections, where these samples cracked. This study proves that by inserting CFs vertical to the loading track, compression is increased by about 11 % due to the brittle-like fracture and bilinear elastic behavior. Important new information regarding how to make car parts more impact and accident resistant has emerged from these studies.