A novel method based on selective laser sintering for preparing high-performance carbon fibres/polyamide12/epoxy...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Polymer Composites

Background:

• Traditional composite manufacturing methods face limitations in producing complex geometries.
• There is a growing demand for lightweight, high-strength materials in industries like aerospace and automotive.
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) offers potential for complex part fabrication but requires optimization for high-performance composites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel SLS-based method for fabricating complex carbon fiber/polyamide12/epoxy (CF/PA12/EP) ternary composites.
• To characterize the microstructure and mechanical properties of the resulting CF/PA12/EP composites.
• To demonstrate the potential of this method for producing high-performance composite components.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of polyamide12 (PA12) coated carbon fiber (CF) composite powder.
• Fabrication of porous green parts using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).
• Infiltration of green parts with novolac epoxy (EP) resin followed by high-temperature curing.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of a ternary CF/PA12/EP composite with a 3D co-continuous structure.
• Well-dispersed CF reinforcement (31% volume fraction) within the EP matrix, with a PA12 transition layer (595 nm thickness).
• Achieved ultimate tensile strength of 101.03 MPa and flexural strength of 153.43 MPa, surpassing most reported SLS materials.

Conclusions:

• The proposed SLS-based method is effective for manufacturing complex, high-performance CF/PA12/EP composites.
• The resulting composites exhibit excellent mechanical properties suitable for demanding applications.
• This novel process holds significant promise for advanced component manufacturing in aerospace, automotive, and other industries.