Thermal annealing and microwave irradiation in enhancing the mechanical performance of 3D printing CF/PA12 composite

Huifang Zhang; Jieying Zhi; Xiaoxuan Lu; Xiaoqing Gao; Youyi Sun; Yu Yang

doi:10.1515/polyeng-2024-0196

Abstract

3D printing polymers and their composites have shown considerable potential in various application fields, yet their limited mechanical properties have hindered widespread use in structural materials. Recently, postprocessing techniques have been proposed as efficient and convenient methods to enhance the mechanical properties of 3D printing structures. This study systematically investigates the effects of thermal annealing and microwave irradiation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 3D printing carbon fiber reinforced polyamide 12 (CF/PA12). The results clearly demonstrate that thermal annealing significantly outperforms microwave irradiation in improving fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion and crystallization. Specifically, thermal annealing provides necessary time for molecular chain relaxation, effectively releasing internal stresses. Additionally, thermal annealing optimizes the transcrystalline structure at the fiber–matrix interface and the volume fraction of crystalline regions within the matrix. Compared to the pristine samples, the annealed 3D printing specimens exhibited increases of 19.34 % in tensile strength and 27.11 % in flexural strength. This research provides an in-depth insight into enhancing 3D printing CF/PA12 composites through postprocessing techniques and offers a scientific basis for their large-scale application.

Keywords: 3D printing; CF/PA12; thermal annealing; microwave irradiation; fiber–matrix interface

Corresponding authors: Youyi Sun, School of Materials Science and Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China, E-mail: syyi@pku.edu.cn; and Yu Yang, CAS Key Laboratory for Carbon Materials, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, 03001, China; and National Engineering Laboratory for Carbon Fiber Technology, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, 03001, China, E-mail: yangyv2003@sxicc.ac.cn

Funding source: The Key Research and Development Program of Shanxi Province (Project Name: Preparation and Application Research of Long Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyamide Filament for 3D Printing, Project No. 202302040201006)

Award Identifier / Grant number: 202302040201006

Funding source: The central government guides local funds for science and technology development

Award Identifier / Grant number: YDZJSX2024C033

Funding source: Central guidance for local scientific and technological development funds

Award Identifier / Grant number: YDZJSX20231A060

Funding source: Special fund for science and technology innovation teams of Shanxi province

Award Identifier / Grant number: 202204051001006

Research ethics: Not applicable.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: The authors are grateful for the support of the Key Research and Development Program of Shanxi Province (Project name: Preparation and Application Research of Long Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyamide Filament for 3D Printing, Project No. 202302040201006); The central government guides local funds for science and technology development (YDZJSX2024C033); Central guidance for local scientific and technological development funds (YDZJSX20231A060); Special fund for science and technology innovation teams of Shanxi province (202204051001006).
Data availability: Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

References

1. Wang, X.; Jiang, M.; Zhou, Z.; Gou, J.; Hui, D. 3D Printing of Polymer Matrix Composites: A Review and Prospective. Compos. B. Eng. 2017, 110, 442–458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.11.034.Search in Google Scholar

2. Vaes, D.; Van, P. Semi-crystalline Feedstock for Filament-Based 3D Printing of Polymers. Prog. Mater. Sci. 2021, 118, 101411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2021.101411.Search in Google Scholar

3. Bhandari, S.; Lopez-Anido, R.; Gardner, D. J. Enhancing the Interlayer Tensile Strength of 3D Printed Short Carbon Fiber Reinforced PETG and PLA Composites via Annealing. Addit. Manuf. 2019, 30, 100922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2019.100922.Search in Google Scholar

4. Lee, C.; Liu, C. The Influence of Forced-Air Cooling on a 3D Printed PLA Part Manufactured by Fused Filament Fabrication. Addit. Manuf. 2019, 25, 196–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2018.11.012.Search in Google Scholar

5. Liu, X.; Tey, W.; Choo, J.; Chen, J.; Tan, P.; Cai, C.; Ong, A.; Zhao, L.; Zhou, K. Enhancing the Mechanical Strength of Multi Jet Fusion–Printed Polyamide 12 and its Glass Fiber-Reinforced Composite via High-Temperature Annealing. Addit. Manuf. 2021, 46, 102205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2021.102205.Search in Google Scholar

6. Liao, G.; Li, Z.; Cheng, Y.; Xu, D.; Zhu, D.; Jiang, S.; Guo, J.; Chen, X.; Xu, G.; Zhu, Y. Properties of Oriented Carbon Fiber/polyamide 12 Composite Parts Fabricated by Fused Deposition Modeling. Mater. Des. 2018, 139, 283–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2017.11.027.Search in Google Scholar

7. Kishore, V.; Chen, X.; Hassen, A.; Lindahl, J.; Kunc, V.; Duty, C. Post-Process Annealing of Large-Scale 3D Printed Polyphenylene Sulfide Composites. Addit. Manuf. 2020, 35, 101387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2020.101387.Search in Google Scholar

8. Hu, Z.; Chen, W.; Ye, X.; Ding, J.; Luo, X.; Wang, S.; Ou, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Li, X. Superior Strength in the 3D‐printed Polyether‐ether‐ketone Composites Reinforced by Annealing and Carbon Fibers. Polym. Compos. 2023, 45 (2), 1872–1883. https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.27895.Search in Google Scholar

9. Ye, X.; Hu, Z.; Li, X.; Wang, S.; Wang, B.; Zhao, Y.; He, J.; Liu, J.; Zhang, J. Effect of Annealing and Carbon Nanotube Infill on the Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polyether-Ether-Ketone Nanocomposites via Fused Filament Fabrication. Addit. Manuf. 2022, 59, 103188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2022.103188.Search in Google Scholar

10. Antonio, E.; Anik, A.; Kuksenok, O.; Luzinov, I. Enhancement of Polypropylene 3D-Printed Structures via the Addition of SiC Whiskers and Microwave Irradiation. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2023, 15 (33), 40042–40053; https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c07464.Search in Google Scholar PubMed

11. Singh, S.; Singh, M.; Prakash, C.; Gupta, M.; Mia, M.; Singh, R. Optimization and Reliability Analysis to Improve Surface Quality and Mechanical Characteristics of Heat-Treated Fused Filament Fabricated Parts. Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 2019, 102 (5–8), 1521–1536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-018-03276-8.Search in Google Scholar

12. Ferreira, I.; Melo, C.; Neto, R.; Machado, M.; Alves, J.; Mould, S. Study of the Annealing Influence on the Mechanical Performance of PA12 and PA12 Fibre Reinforced FFF Printed Specimens. Rapid Prototyp. J. 2020, 26 (10), 1761–1770. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-10-2019-0278.Search in Google Scholar

13. Rane, R.; Kulkarni, A.; Prajapati, H.; Taylor, R.; Jain, A.; Chen, V. Post-Process Effects of Isothermal Annealing and Initially Applied Static Uniaxial Loading on the Ultimate Tensile Strength of Fused Filament Fabrication Parts. Materials 2020, 13 (2), 352. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13020352.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

14. Chikkanna, N.; Krishnapillai, S.; Ramachandran, V. Static and Dynamic Flexural Behaviour of Printed Polylactic Acid with Thermal Annealing: Parametric Optimisation and Empirical Modelling. Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 2021, 119 (1–2), 1179–1197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-08127-7.Search in Google Scholar

15. Ouassil, S.; El Magri, A.; Vanaei, H.; Vaudreuil, S. Investigating the Effect of Printing Conditions and Annealing on the Porosity and Tensile Behavior of 3D‐printed Polyetherimide Material in Z‐direction. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2022, 140 (4), e53353. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.53353.Search in Google Scholar

16. Ahmed, B.; Nadeem, U.; Hakeem, A.; Ul-Hamid, A.; Khan, M.; Younas, M.; Saeed, H. Printing Parameter Optimization of Additive Manufactured Pla Using Taguchi Design of Experiment. Polymers 2023, 15 (22), 4370. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15224370.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

17. Hart, K.; Dunn, R.; Sietins, J.; Mock, C.; Mackay, M.; Wetzel, E. Increased Fracture Toughness of Additively Manufactured Amorphous Thermoplastics via Thermal Annealing. Polym 2018, 144, 192–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2018.04.024.Search in Google Scholar

18. Hart, K.; Dunn, R.; Wetzel, E. Increased Fracture Toughness of Additively Manufactured Semi-crystalline Thermoplastics via Thermal Annealing. Polym 2020, 211, 123091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2020.123091.Search in Google Scholar

19. Riggins, A.; Yu, J.; Dadmun, M. Increasing the Isotropy of 3D Printed Poly(ether Ether Ketone) Using a Combination of Bimodal Polymer Blends and Post-process. Addit. Manuf. 2024, 84, 104127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2024.104127.Search in Google Scholar

20. Sweeney, C.; Lackey, B.; Pospisil, M.; Achee, T.; Hicks, V.; Moran, A.; Teipel, B.; Saed, M.; Green, M. Welding of 3D-Printed Carbon Nanotube-Polymer Composites by Locally Induced Microwave Heating. Sci. Adv. 2017, 3 (6), e1700262. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700262.10.1126/sciadv.1700262Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

21. Ai, J.; Li, S.; Vogt, B. Increased Strength in Carbon-Poly(ether Ether Ketone) Composites from Material Extrusion with Rapid Microwave Post Processing. Addit. Manuf. 2022, 60, 103209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2022.103209.Search in Google Scholar

22. Li, H.; Mu, Y.; Wang, Q.; Cai, D.; Zhang, Y.; Luo, Y.; Liu, J.; Liu, J.; Niu, K.; Wu, Y.; Li, Y.; Jiang, N. Interlayer Enhancement of 3D Printed CF/PLA Composites via Localized Microwave Welding and Annealing-Induced Crystallization. Compos. B. Eng. 2024, 284, 111737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2024.111737.Search in Google Scholar

23. Cartledge, H.; Baillie, C. Studies of Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Nylon/glass Composite – Part I – the Effect of Thermal Processing on Crystallinity, Transcrystallinity and Crystal Phases. J. Mater. Sci. 1999, 34 (20), 5099. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004713200894.10.1023/A:1004713200894Search in Google Scholar

24. Kobayashi, D.; Hsieh, Y.; Takahara, A. Interphase Structure of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyamide 6 Revealed by Microbeam X-Ray Diffraction with Synchrotron Radiation. Polym 2016, 89, 154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2016.02.057.Search in Google Scholar

25. Cho, B.; Lee, J.; Hwang, S.; Han, J.; Chae, H.; Park, Y. Enhancement in Mechanical Properties of Polyamide 66-carbon Fiber Composites Containing Graphene Oxide-Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Nanofillers Synthesized through In Situ Interfacial Polymerization. Compos. Part A Appl. Sci. Manuf. 2020, 135, 105938. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2020.105938.Search in Google Scholar

26. Dong, J.; Huang, X.; Muley, P.; Wu, T.; Barekati, M.; Tang, Z.; Li, M.; Lee, S.; Boldor, D.; Wu, Q. Carbonized Cellulose Nanofibers as Dielectric Heat Sources for Microwave Annealing 3D Printed PLA Composite. Compos. B. Eng. 2020, 184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.107640.Search in Google Scholar

Supplementary Material

This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/polyeng-2024-0196).

Received: 2024-09-19

Accepted: 2024-12-23

Published Online: 2025-01-24

Published in Print: 2025-03-26

You are currently not able to access this content.

Supplementary Material

Thermal annealing and microwave irradiation in enhancing the mechanical performance of 3D printing CF/PA12 composite

Abstract

References

Supplementary Material

Articles in the same Issue

Articles in the same Issue