Processing of Syndiotactic Polystyrene to Microspheres for Part Manufacturing through Selective Laser Sintering

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Engineering

Background:

• Selective laser sintering (SLS) requires specific material properties for successful processing.
• Developing new feed materials like syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) can expand SLS applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To process syndiotactic polystyrene pellets into powder for SLS applications.
• To evaluate particle characteristics and material properties after different processing methods.

Main Methods:

• Syndiotactic polystyrene was processed into powder using ball milling, rotor milling, and spray drying.
• Particle size, shape (SEM imaging), and crystallinity (DSC analysis) were characterized.
• Single-layer SLS tests were performed on rotor-milled powder.

Main Results:

• Rotor milling and spray drying yielded spherical sPS powders.
• Rotor milling achieved the target particle size range (45–97 µm).
• All methods caused amorphization and reduced crystallinity; spray drying and rotor milling showed acceptable reductions, while ball milling caused significant degradation.

Conclusions:

• Rotor milling is a promising technique for producing sPS powder for SLS, offering suitable particle size and acceptable crystallinity.
• While rotor-milled powder showed good sintering behavior, warpage needs further investigation.