Study on performances of graphite-filled polypropylene/polyamide 6 composites manufactured by fused deposition modeling

The application and development of 3D printing technology are greatly restricted due to the poor performance and single-function of the manufactured products. Therefore, it is still an important topic to develop 3D printing products with excellent performance and multi-functions. In this study, a novel graphite-filled polypropylene/polyamide 6 composite was successfully prepared using fused deposition modeling (FDM, one of the most popular 3D printing technologies). The effects of graphite on printing quality, melt-crystallization behavior and thermal stability of the composites were studied. In addition, the influence of different printing arrangements on the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of the composite were also studied, and the existing performance regulation mechanisms were deeply explored through the microscopic morphology characterization (graphite sheet orientation and void distribution) and force analysis. This work demonstrates that components with specific performance requirements can be tuned and manufactured using FDM, which further expands the application and development of 3D printing technology in the field of functional composite materials.

Automated summary

This study successfully prepared a graphite-filled polypropylene/polyamide 6 composite using FDM technology, studied the effects of graphite on the composite properties, and explored the influence of different printing arrangements. Through microscopic morphology characterization and force analysis, the performance regulation mechanisms were deeply investigated.