Polymer Composites Based on Polycarbonate (PC) Applied to Additive Manufacturing Using Melted and Extruded...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Polycarbonate (PC) composites are increasingly used in 3D printing, particularly in Melted and Extruded Manufacturing (MEM).
• Optimizing PC composite properties requires understanding the influence of various fillers.
• Modified fillers offer potential for enhanced material performance in additive manufacturing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of modified fillers on the properties of polycarbonate composites for 3D printing.
• To evaluate the influence of alumina modified silica, quaternary ammonium bentonite, lignin/silicon dioxide hybrid filler, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes on PC.
• To characterize the structural, mechanical, rheological, physicochemical, and electrical properties of the developed composites.

Main Methods:

• Filament extrusion and 3D printing (MEM) to produce composite samples.
• Mechanical testing: Rockwell hardness, Charpy impact strength, tensile strength, and Young's modulus.
• Microscopy (SEM), rheology (MFR), thermal analysis (TGA, DSC), structural analysis (WAXS, FT-IR), and electrical conductivity measurements.

Main Results:

• Both filler type and concentration (0.5-3 wt.%) significantly influenced the functional properties of PC composites.
• Modified fillers altered mechanical strength, hardness, impact resistance, and rheological behavior.
• SEM, TGA, DSC, WAXS, and FT-IR analyses provided insights into the structural and physicochemical changes.

Conclusions:

• The selection of filler type and its loading level are critical for tailoring polycarbonate composite properties for 3D printing applications.
• Modified fillers can be effectively incorporated into PC matrices to achieve desired performance characteristics.
• This research provides valuable data for the development of advanced polymer composites for additive manufacturing.