Modelling the interplay between printing conditions, rheology, and crystallization in MatEx additive manufacturing

ORAL

Abstract

Material extrusion (MatEx) of thermoplastics continues to be one of the most common and economical additive manufacturing techniques. The printing process is predominantly shear-flow through a nozzle followed by rapid cooling and solidification of cylindrical filaments, which are built up layer-by-layer. Uniform strength and structural integrity rely on achieving sufficient inter-diffusion and isotropy of the polymers before the onset of either the glass transition or crystallization. Here I discuss a modelling framework to capture the interplay between MatEx conditions, rheology, and crystallization for several different polymers. The aim is to understand the microstructural properties, such as molecular alignment and spherulitic crystallinity, within a single layer and how this may affect the mechanical properties of a layered structure.

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Publication:

Pu, J., McIlroy, C., Jones, A. and Ashcroft, I., 2021. Understanding mechanical properties in fused filament fabrication of polyether ether ketone. Additive Manufacturing, 37, p.101673.
Costanzo, A., Spotorno, R., Candal, M.V., Fernández, M.M., Müller, A.J., Graham, R.S., Cavallo, D. and McIlroy, C., 2020. Residual alignment and its effect on weld strength in material-extrusion 3D-printing of polylactic acid. Additive Manufacturing, 36, p.101415.
Costanzo, A., Poggi, A., Looijmans, S., Venkatraman, D., Sawyer, D., Puskar, L., Mcllroy, C. and Cavallo, D., 2022. The role of molar mass in achieving isotropy and inter-layer strength in Mat-Ex printed polylactic acid. Polymers, 14(14), p.2792.
Costanzo, A., Cavallo, D. and McIlroy, C., 2022. High-performance co-polyesters for material-extrusion 3D printing: A molecular perspective of weld properties. Additive Manufacturing, 49, p.102474.
Das, A., Riet, J.A., Bortner, M.J. and McIlroy, C., 2022. Rheology, crystallization, and process conditions: The effect on interlayer properties in three-dimensional printing. Physics of Fluids, 34(12).

Presenters

  • Claire McIlroy

    University of Lincoln

Authors

  • Claire McIlroy

    University of Lincoln