3D-printable Boron Nitride/Polyacrylic Hydrogel Composites with High Thermal Conductivities

Polyacrylic acid(PAA)hydrogel composites with different hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN)fillers were synthesized and successfully 3D-printed while their thermal conductivity was systematically studied.With the content of h-BN increasing from 0.1 wt%to 0.3 wt%,the thermal conductivity of the 3D-printed composites has been improved.Moreover,through the shear force given by the 3D printer,a complete thermal conductivity path is obtained inside the hydrogel,which significantly improves the thermal conductivity of the h-BN hydrogel composites.The maximum thermal conductivity is 0.8808 W/(m·K),leading to a thermal conductive enhancement of 1000%,compared with the thermal conductivity of pure PAA hydrogels.This study shows that using h-BN fillers can effectively and significantly improve the thermal conductivity of hydrogelbased materials while its 3D-printable ability has been maintained.

Evaluation of different crosslinking methods in altering the properties of extrusion-printed chitosan-basedmulti-material hydrogel composites

Three-dimensional printing technologies exhibit tremendous potential in the advancing fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to the precise spatial control over depositing the biomaterial.Despite their widespread utilization and numerous advantages,the development of suitable novel biomaterials for extrusion-based 3D printing of scaffolds that support cell attachment,proliferation,and vascularization remains a challenge.Multi-material composite hydrogels present incredible potential in this field.Thus,in this work,a multi-material composite hydrogel with a promising formulation of chitosan/gelatin functionalized with egg white was developed,which provides good printability and shape fidelity.In addition,a series of comparative analyses of different crosslinking agents and processes based on tripolyphosphate(TPP),genipin(GP),and glutaraldehyde(GTA)were investigated and compared to select the ideal crosslinking strategy to enhance the physicochemical and biological properties of the fabricated scaffolds.All of the results indicate that the composite hydrogel and the resulting scaffolds utilizing TPP crosslinking have great potential in tissue engineering,especially for supporting neo-vessel growth into the scaffold and promoting angiogenesis within engineered tissues.

Multifunctional characteristics of 3D printed polymer nanocomposites under monotonic and cyclic compression

This study presents the multifunctional characteristics of multi-walled carbon nanotube(MWCNT)/polypropylene random copolymer(PPR) composites enabled via fused filament fabrication(FFF) under monotonic and quasi-static cyclic compression. Utilizing in-house MWCNT-engineered PPR filament feedstocks, both bulk and cellular composites were realized. The morphological features of nanocomposites were examined via scanning electron microscopy, which reveals that MWCNTs are uniformly dispersed. The uniformly dispersed MWCNTs forms an electrically conductive network within the PPR matrix, and the resulting nanocomposite shows good electrical conductivity(~10^(-1)S/cm), improved mechanical performance(modulus increases by 125% and compressive strength increases by 25% for 8 wt% MWCNT loading) and pronounced piezoresistive response(gauge factor of 27.9-8.5 for bulk samples)under compression. The influence of strain rate on the piezoresistive response of bulk samples(4 wt% of MWCNT) under compression was also measured. Under repeated cyclic compression(2% constant strain amplitude), the nanocomposite exhibited stable piezoresistive performance up to 100 cycles. The piezoresistive response under repeated cyclic loading with increasing strain amplitude of was also assessed.The gauge factor of BCC and FCC cellular composites(4 wt% of MWCNT) with a relative density of 30%was observed to be 46.4 and 30.2 respectively, under compression. The higher sensitivity of the BCC plate-lattice could be attributed to its higher degree of stretching-dominated deformation behavior than the FCC plate-lattice, which exhibits bending-dominated behavior. The 3D printed cellular PPR/MWCNT composites structures were found to show excellent piezoresistive self-sensing characteristics and open new avenues for in situ structural health monitoring in various applications.

Recent advances on 3D printing graphene-based composites

3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) has revolutionized the way of manufacturing by designing complex structures in a customized feature which cannot be realized by traditional processing methods. Incoming materials are trying to adopt 3D printing techniques which directly fabricate sophisticated entities with multifunctionality like mechanical, electrical, thermal and magnetic properties etc. For the realization of advanced materials, 3D printing techniques are emerging from single material to composite materials manufacturing by simply introducing the nano- and micro-reinforcements with the matrix. In this review, we provide an outline of 3D printing graphene-based composites according to various AM techniques including fused deposition modeling (FDM), direct ink writing (DIW), stereolithography (SLA) and selective laser sintering (SLS). First a brief introduction of various AM techniques is given to get a basic understanding of the principles of 3D printing, and then the fabrication process, structural characteristics and applications of different 3D printing techniques for graphene-based composites are summarized. In addition, some effective simulation and characterization methods are also included. We hope that this review would clarify the potential of AM techniques for composite materials and can open new prospects for designing of novel materials.

Coating process of multi-material composite sand mold 3D printing

Sand mold 3 D printing technology is an advanced manufacturing technology which has great flexible manufacturing ability. A multi-material composite sand mold can control the temperature field of metallic parts during the pouring process, while the current sand mold 3 D printing technology can only fabricate a single material sand mold. The casting temperature field can not be adjusted by using single sand mold material with isotropous heat exchange ability during the pouring process. In this work, a kind of novel coating device was designed. Multi-material composite sand molds could be manufactured using the coating device according to the casting process demands of the final parts. The influences of curing agent content, coating velocity and scraper shape on compactness and surface roughness of the sand layer(silica sand and zircon sand) were studied. The shapes and sizes of transition intervals of two kinds of sand granules were also tested. The results show that, with the increase of the added volume of curing agent, the compactness of sand layer reduces and the surface roughness value rises. With the increase of the velocity of the coating device, the compactness of sand layer reduces and the surface roughness value rises similarly. In addition, the scraper with a dip angle of 72 degrees could increase the compactness value of the sand layer. The criteria of quality parmeters of the coating procedure are obtained. That is, the surface roughness(δ) of sand layer should be equal to or lesser than half of main size of the sand particles(Dm). The parameter H of the coating device which is the distance between the base of hopper and the surface of sand layer impacts the size of transition zone. The width of the transition zone is in direct proportion to the parameter H, qualitatively. Through the optimization of the coating device, high quality of multi-material sand layers can be obtained. This will provide a solution in manufacturing the multi-material composite sand mold.

Fiber Traction Printing:A 3D Printing Method of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Metal Matrix Composite

A novel metal matrix composite freeform fabrication approach,fiber traction printing(FTP),is demonstrated through controlling the wetting behavior between fibers and the matrix.This process utilizes the fiber bundle to control the cross-sectional shape of the liquid metal,shaping it from circular to rectangular which is more precise.The FTP process could resolve manufacturing difficulties in the complex structure of continuous fiber reinforced metal matrix composites.The printing of the first layer monofilament is discussed in detail,and the effects of the fibrous coating thickness on the mechanical properties and microstructures of the composite are also investigated in this paper.The composite material prepared by the FTP process has a tensile strength of 235.2 MPa,which is close to that of composites fabricated by conventional processes.The complex structures are printed to demonstrate the advantages and innovations of this approach.Moreover,the FTP method is suited to other material systems with good wettability,such as modified carbon fiber,surfactants,and aluminum alloys.

Printability of HDPE/Natural Fiber Composites with High Content of Cellulosic Industrial Waste

In this paper, a continuous polymeric matrix highly filled with fiber of sugarcane bagasse has been obtained and its feasibility as an ink-absorbing material has been evaluated. In order to study the effect of the amount of cellulose fiber on the surface printability, contact angle measurement using different liquids—water-based inks, ethanol and ink for ink-jet printers—and printing tests were performed on composites of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and sugarcane bagasse (SCB). The composites were processed in a Haake internal mixer, using the SCB without any previous chemical treatment or compatibilizer. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and derivative thermogravimetry (TG/ DTG) revealed an increase in the thermal stability and in the degree of crystallinity of the HDPE. The optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the cellulosic material was homogeneously embedded within the HDPE matrix. In order to assess the resistance of the composite sample to the pull strength of the printer, tensile tests were applied to the composites and the results were compared to known paper samples. The best result was achieved in the composite with the highest content of SCB, as well as the shortest drying time.

Fiber Line Optimization in Single Ply for 3D Printed Composites

In conventional manufacturing processes of composites, Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) laminates have been made by stacking unidirectional or woven prepreg sheets. Recently, as a manufacturing process of CFRP, 3D printing of CFRP composites has been developed. The 3D printing process of CFRP composites enables us to fabricate CFRP laminates with arbitrary curvilinear fibre plies. This indicates that the optimization of the in-plane curved carbon fibre placement in a planar ply is strongly required to realize superior 3D printed composites. In the present paper, in-plane curved carbon fibre alignment of a ply with an open hole is optimized in terms of maximization of the fracture strength. For the optimization process, a genetic algorithm is adopted. To describe curved carbon fibre alignments in a planar ply, stream lines of perfect flow is employed. By using the stream lines of the perfect flow, number of optimization parameters is significantly reduced. After the optimization, the fracture strength of CFRP laminate is compared with the results of unidirectional CFRP ply. The curved fibre placement in a planar ply shows superior fracture improvement.

Experimental study of 3D printed carbon fibre sandwich structures for lightweight applications

Honeycomb sandwich structures are widely used in lightweight applications.Usually,these structures are subjected to extreme loading conditions,leading to potential failures due to delamination and debonding between the face sheet and the honeycomb core.Therefore,the present study is focused on the mechanical characterisation of honeycomb sandwich structures fabricated using advanced 3D printing technology.The continuous carbon fibres and ONYX-FR matrix materials have been used as raw materials for 3D printing of the specimens needed for various mechanical characterization testing;ONYX-FR is a commercial trade name for flame retardant short carbon fibre filled nylon filaments,used as a reinforcing material in Morkforged 3D printer.Edgewise and flatwise compression tests have been conducted for different configurations of honeycomb sandwich structures,fabricated by varying the face sheet thickness and core cell size,while keeping the core cell thickness and core height constant.Based on these tests,the proposed structure with face sheet thickness of 3.2 mm and a core cell size of 12.7 mm exhibited the highest energy absorption and prevented delamination and debonding failures.Therefore,3D printing technology can also be considered as an alternative method for sandwich structure fabrication.However,detailed parametric studies still need to be conducted to meet various other structural integrity criteria related to the lightweight applications.

Pioneering the direct large-scale laser printing of flexible“graphenic silicon”self-standing thin films as ultrahigh-performance lithium-ion battery anodes

Recent technological advancements,such as portable electronics and electric vehicles,have created a pressing need for more efficient energy storage solutions.Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)have been the preferred choice for these applications,with graphite being the standard anode material due to its stability.However,graphite falls short of meeting the growing demand for higher energy density,possessing a theoretical capacity that lags behind.To address this,researchers are actively seeking alternative materials to replace graphite in commercial batteries.One promising avenue involves lithiumalloying materials like silicon and phosphorus,which offer high theoretical capacities.Carbon-silicon composites have emerged as a viable option,showing improved capacity and performance over traditional graphite or pure silicon anodes.Yet,the existing methods for synthesizing these composites remain complex,energy-intensive,and costly,preventing widespread adoption.A groundbreaking approach is presented here:the use of a laser writing strategy to rapidly transform common organic carbon precursors and silicon blends into efficient“graphenic silicon”composite thin films.These films exhibit exceptional structural and energy storage properties.The resulting three-dimensional porous composite anodes showcase impressive attributes,including ultrahigh silicon content,remarkable cyclic stability(over 4500 cycles with∼40%retention),rapid charging rates(up to 10 A g^(-1)),substantial areal capacity(>5.1 mAh cm^(-2)),and excellent gravimetric capacity(>2400 mAh g^(-1) at 0.2 A g^(-1)).This strategy marks a significant step toward the scalable production of high-performance LIB materials.Leveraging widely available,cost-effective precursors,the laser-printed“graphenic silicon”composites demonstrate unparalleled performance,potentially streamlining anode production while maintaining exceptional capabilities.This innovation not only paves the way for advanced LIBs but also sets a precedent for transforming various materials into high-performing electrodes,promising reduced complexity and cost in battery production.

Stress Analysis of Printed Circuit Board with Different Thickness and Composite Materials Under Shock Loading

In this study,the deformation and stress distribution of printed circuit board(PCB)with different thickness and composite materials under a shock loading were analyzed by the finite element analysis.The standard 8-layer PCB subjected to a shock loading 1500 g was evaluated first.Moreover,the finite element models of the PCB with different thickness by stacking various number of layers were discussed.In addition to changing thickness,the core material of PCB was replaced from woven E-glass/epoxy to woven carbon fiber/epoxy for structural enhancement.The non-linear material property of copper foil was considered in the analysis.The results indicated that a thicker PCB has lower stress in the copper foil in PCBs under the shock loading.The stress difference between the thicker PCB(2.6 mm)and thinner PCB(0.6 mm)is around 5%.Using woven carbon fiber/epoxy as core material could lower the stress of copper foil around 6.6%under the shock loading 1500 g for the PCB with 0.6 mm thickness.On the other hand,the stress level is under the failure strength of PCBs with carbon fiber/epoxy core layers and thickness 2.6 mm when the peak acceleration changes from 1500 g to 5000 g.This study could provide a reference for the design and proper applications of the PCB with different thickness and composite materials.

Microstructure and properties of composites gun drill bit/drill pipe interface produced by 3D printing method

In this paper,the rapid and integrated manufacture method of 3 D printing gun drill is put forward.The 3 D printing process test of the composites gun drill composed of medium carbon steel drill shank,low alloy steel drill pipe and tungsten cobalt hard alloy drill bit is conducted.Microstructure and morphology of the composites gun drill interface between low alloy steel and tungsten cobalt hard alloy is analyzed using SEM.Element distribution and Phase composition of the interface between low alloy steel and tungsten cobalt hard alloy were tested and analyzed by EDS and XRD respectively.The oxidation resistance,micro hardness and corrosion resistance of the interface between low alloy steel and tungsten cobalt hard alloy were analyzed.The results show that the interface performance of 3 D printing composite gun drill is better than that of the welding gun drill.The rapid and integrated 3 D printing method is feasible for gun drill manufacture.

3D printed aluminum matrix composites with well-defined ordered structures of shear-induced aligned carbon fibers

Carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites with ordered architectures of shear-induced aligned carbon fibers were fabricated by 3D printing.The microstructures of the printed and sintered samples and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated.Carbon fibers and aluminum powder were bonded together with resin.The spatial arrangement of the carbon fibers was fixed in the aluminum matrix by shear-induced alignment in the3D printing process.As a result,the elongation of the composites with a parallel arrangement of aligned fibers and the impact toughness of the composites with an orthogonal arrangement were 0.82%and 0.41 J/cm^(2),respectively,about 0.4 and 0.8 times higher than that of the random arrangement.

Improving Strength of Carbon Fiber Grafted Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites by 3D-Printed Molding

To improve the strength of carbon fiber(CF) reinforced Polycaprolactam(PA6) composites, controlled amounts of carbon nanotubes(CNTs) were grafted onto the surface of CF to prepare the hybrid reinforcement(HR). We used HR to fabricate laminate and H-sample to test the interfacial bonding strength(IBS) of the composites by means of a novel process called three-dimensional printed molding(3 D-PM). By using the melt drop printing method, we measured the contact angles between PA6 and CF(without sizing) and between PA6 and HR. The IBS and the mechanical properties of the composites were obtained by the tensile test. The experimental result indicated that CF grafted by 0.25% weight fraction of CNT or more could develop a special microstructure similar to the micro-pits on the surface of CF, which improved the wettability of CF and PA6 due to the increased surface area and the roughness of CF. When the weight fraction of CNT reached 0.25%, the IBS increased by 41.8%, the tensile strength by 130%, and the interfacial shear strength(IFSS) by 238%. The interfacial dimple fracture was observed by Scanning Electron Microscope(SEM), which revealed that the composites were able to absorb more deforming energy before fracture. The modified surface microstructure of CF would prevent crack propagation at the interface and increase the mechanical properties of thermoplastic composites(TPCs).

Synthesis and Mechanical Properties of C/PLA 3D Printing Composites Based on Waste Rice Noodles

Spherical carbon particles were prepared by using waste Guilin rice noodles as raw materials.By blending the rice noodles based carbon(RC)powders with polylactic acid(PLA),A series of black RC/PLA 3D printing composites were synthesized and characterized.The mechanical testing result shows that the RC/PLA 3D printing composites display better mechanical properties than that of pure PLA.Moreover,the composite with carbon treated with high temperature carbonization has better impact strength.

Co-continuous Composite Material Design Using the Volumetric Distance Field Based on Analytic Shape Functions

An effective and simple design method for co-continuous composite material construction is proposed by using a hybrid methodology with triply periodic minimal surface( TPMS) cellular topology and the volumetric distance field( VDF). After generating a set of VDF-based features for the given exterior shape and desired internal core structure,a series of simple modifications in distance fields enabled us to obtain an arbitrarily-shaped complex co-continuous composite material computational model. Design results and manufactured prototypes through 3 D printing technology show that the proposed methodology has the potential to open a new paradigm for producing multifunctional next generation co-continuous composite materials which are impossible to design and manufacture using traditional CAD and CAM.

The Barrier Properties of Flake-Filled Composites with Precise Control of Flake Orientation

Additive manufacturing, especially in the form of 3D printing, offers the exciting possibility of generating heterogeneous articles with precisely controlled internal microstructure. One area in which this feature can be of significant advantage is in diffusion control, specifically in the design and fabrication of microstructures which optimize the rate of transport of a solute to and from a contained fluid. In this work we focus on the use of flakes as diffusion-control agents and study computationally and theoretically the effect of orientation on the barrier properties of flake-filled composites. We conducted over 1500 simulations in two-dimensional, doubly-periodic unit cells each containing up to 3000 individual flake cross-sections which are randomly placed and with their axes forming an angle () with the direction of macroscopic diffusion. We consider long-flake systems of aspect ratio () 100 and 1000, from the dilute () and into the concentrated () regime. Based on the rotation properties of the diffusivity tensor, we derive a model which is capable of accurately reproducing all computational results ( and ). The model requires as inputs the two principal diffusivities of the composite, normal and parallel to the flake axis. In this respect, we find the models of Lape et al. [1] and Nielsen [2] form an excellent combination. Both our model and our computational data predict that at the quadratic dependence of the Barrier Improvement Factor (BIF) on () is lost, with the BIF approaching a plateau at higher values of (). This plateau is lower as () increases. We derive analytical estimates of this maximum achievable BIF at each level of misalignment;these are also shown to be in excellent agreement with the computational results. Finally we show that our computational results and model are in agreement with experimental evidence at small values of ().

Textile-Based Sensors for Inspection of Composite Materials

The monitoring of mechanical deformation and damage of composite materials is normally performed by established analytical methods,such as strain gauges and optical and piezoelectric sensors.However,large areas outside of the measuring cell remain unconsidered.A large-area sensitive sensor for composites is presented,which is simply generated by printing a carbon layer on the reinforcing glass fiber fabrics or on any composite itself.Such printed sensors enable to determine mechanical deformations and damages of the entire component and it responds with a measurable electrical resistance to external tension or pressure without any hysteresis.The strongest influence on sensor signal was identified with low carbon concentration and thin layers.The sensors signal linearly correlates with the degree of deformation and bending velocity whereas bending direction can be identified through signal change under residual tensile stress or compressive stress.

Exploring the Potential to Uniquely Manufacture Curved VARTM Epoxy Composites Using Cost-Effective FDM Molds

The Resin Infusion or the VARTM (Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding) process has significant potential to be used to manufacture curved composites. Another way to produce curved or complex geometry is to use 3D printers. 3D or FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) printers are now being used to produce relatively cheaper curved parts using thermoplastics such as PLA. However, the strength and mechanical performance of these parts is limited and can be enhanced if the polymer is reinforced with a type of fiber for instance. Research is being carried out to produce fiber rein-forced thermoplastic composites but that process is expected to be more expensive than the alternative methods such as injection or compression molding. Furthermore, to understand the manufacture of a hybrid composite using thermoplastics, fibers and epoxy resin, research and investigation need to be carried out. In this research, there are single-sided, double-sided, reusable, disposable and consumable molds. Most of the molds were created either using an FDM printer or manually. These molds were then used to manufacture flat and curved composite structures via the resin injection process, i.e. VARTM with epoxy resin system and glass/carbon/flax fiber reinforcement. By replacing the costly metallic molds by significantly cheaper molds, the cost of production was expected to further reduce. Furthermore, using double-sided PLA molds was not expected to be a threat to the overall cost of the composite part in question compared to double-sided matched molds used in compression molding. Shear strength, tensile strength and charpy impact strength of most of the manufactured composite parts were also investigated. The strengths were compared based on the method of mold usage. The results showed that this method is effective for a cheaper production of curved epoxy resin composites. However, the strength of the part will decrease as the curved profile gets more complicated unless the basic resin infusion process is altered.

3D打印混凝土永久模板叠合柱的抗压性能数值模拟研究

为深入研究3D打印混凝土永久模板叠合柱的抗压性能,基于3D打印混凝土永久模板叠合柱及同尺寸整体现浇对照柱试验建立构件数值模型,模拟分析其轴压荷载-位移响应及失效形态。针对界面粘结性能、现浇混凝土抗压强度、打印模板厚度、荷载偏心距等参数开展3D打印混凝土永久模板叠合柱的抗压性能计算分析,研究表明:叠合柱轴压极限承载力随着薄弱界面剪切强度、刚度及现浇混凝土抗压强度的增大而增大。由于打印材料的抗压强度高于现浇混凝土,叠合柱抗压极限承载力提升率与打印模板厚度呈近似线性关系,叠合圆柱的抗压极限承载力随着荷载偏心距的增大而降低,呈近似线性负相关。此外,偏心距对叠合圆柱极限承载力下降幅度的影响大于现浇圆柱。