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Published on: January 7, 2019
Z-axis 3D-printing performance improvement by modifying polylactic acid composites using microcrystalline cellulose
Shengyuan Qiu1, Lideng Yang1, Jiajin Jiang1
1State Key Laboratory of Woody Oil Resources Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China; Engineering Research Center of Advanced Wooden Materials, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin, 150040, China.
This study enhances polylactic acid (PLA) for 3D printing by improving its toughness and z-axis performance using polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). The modified PLA shows significantly improved mechanical properties and printability, broadening its 3D printing applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Polylactic acid (PLA) is biocompatible and biodegradable but limited in 3D printing due to brittleness and poor z-axis performance.
- Weak interlayer forces in PLA limit printing accuracy and overall material performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the toughness and z-axis 3D printing performance of PLA composites.
- To overcome the limitations of PLA in 3D printing applications.
Main Methods:
- Modification of PLA with polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC).
- Use of ionic surfactants, tributyl citrate (TBC), and ADR4468 to improve compatibility between PLA, MCC, and PBAT.
- Evaluation of mechanical properties and z-axis printing performance of the modified PLA composites.
Main Results:
- Fracture elongation of the modified PLA spline increased from 61.8% to 434.2%.
- Tensile strength increased to 36.9 MPa with 1.5% ADR4468, and z-axis tensile strength reached 15.9 MPa.
- Enabled fabrication of dumbbell-shaped samples along the z-direction, unlike commercial PLA or PBAT-modified PLA.
Conclusions:
- A feasible method for producing PLA-based 3D printing products with excellent z-axis printability was developed.
- The modified PLA composites demonstrate significantly improved toughness and interlayer adhesion.
- This advancement broadens the application scope of PLA composites in 3D printing technology.
