Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Powder-A Versatile Material for Additive Manufacturing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Powder bed fusion (3D printing) requires specific polymer properties, with few polymers performing optimally.
• Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has previously shown promise for 3D printing due to its properties and re-use potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the mechanical properties of PET and polyamide 12 (PA12) in 3D printed parts across different build orientations.
• To investigate the influence of molecular weight on the 3D printing performance and mechanical properties of PET.

Main Methods:

• 3D printing of PET and PA12 using powder bed fusion.
• Mechanical property testing of printed parts built in various orientations.
• Optimization of processing parameters for high molecular weight PET powder.

Main Results:

• High molecular weight PET powder, once optimized, demonstrated low anisotropy, with minimal differences in mechanical properties regardless of build orientation.
• Lower molecular weight PET powder was printable, enabling complex part fabrication, but yielded lower mechanical properties due to unoptimized processing parameters.
• PET is highly suitable for powder bed fusion, contrasting with its limitations in injection molding.

Conclusions:

• PET is a viable and advantageous material for powder bed fusion 3D printing, particularly when molecular weight and processing parameters are optimized.
• The low anisotropy observed in optimized PET parts suggests suitability for applications requiring consistent performance.
• Further research into optimizing lower molecular weight PET could enhance its applicability in additive manufacturing.