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Graphite Modified Polylactide (PLA) for 3D Printed (FDM/FFF) Sliding Elements.

Robert E Przekop¹, Maciej Kujawa², Wojciech Pawlak²

¹Centre for Advanced Technologies, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, 61-712 Poznań, Poland.

|June 4, 2020

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Adding graphite to polylactic acid (PLA) composites significantly reduces wear, making them suitable for 3D printing sliding parts. This study explored various graphite concentrations to optimize material properties for enhanced performance.

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Polymer Science
Additive Manufacturing

Background:

3D printing necessitates materials with enhanced properties, particularly for sliding applications.
Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) is a common 3D printing material but often requires property modification.
Graphite is a promising additive for improving material characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of graphite addition on the tribological, mechanical, and chemical properties of PLA composites.
To assess the suitability of these composites for 3D printed sliding components.
To evaluate material performance after environmental conditioning.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of PLA composites with varying graphite weight percentages (1-10%).

Keywords:

PLA additives friction modifiers properties sliding elements wear

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Tribological, mechanical, and chemical property testing of neat PLA and composites.

Environmental conditioning using ageing and climatic ovens.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis before and after friction tests.

Main Results:

Increased graphite content significantly reduced material wear; PLA with 10% graphite showed a threefold decrease in wear rate compared to neat PLA.
While most properties were unaffected, mechanical characteristics changed notably.
After climatic conditioning, PLA + 10% graphite exhibited an 11% lower fracture stress, 47% lower impact strength, and a 21% higher Young's modulus than neat PLA.

Conclusions:

Graphite addition to PLA is a viable strategy for developing low-cost, wear-resistant materials for 3D printing.
These modified PLA composites show potential for manufacturing durable sliding spare parts.
Further research into mechanical property trade-offs under various conditions is warranted.