Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is one of the fastest-growing additive manufacturing methods used in printing fibre-reinforced composites (FRC). The performances of the resulting printed parts are limited compared to those by other manufacturing methods due to their inherent defects. Hence, the effort to develop treatment methods to overcome these drawbacks has accelerated during the past few years. The main focus of this study is to review the impact of those defects on the mechanical performance of FRC and therefore to discuss the available treatment methods to eliminate or minimize them in order to enhance the functional properties of the printed parts. As FRC is a combination of polymer matrix material and continuous or short reinforcing fibres, this review will thoroughly discuss both thermoplastic polymers and FRCs printed via FDM technology, including the effect of printing parameters such as layer thickness, infill pattern, raster angle and fibre orientation. The most common defects on printed parts, in particular, the void formation, surface roughness and poor bonding between fibre and matrix, are explored. An inclusive discussion on the effectiveness of chemical, laser, heat and ultrasound treatments to minimize these drawbacks is provided by this review.

FDM-Based 3D Printing of Polymer and Associated Composite: A Review on Mechanical Properties, Defects and Treatments.

The objective of this study was to compare the physical and mechanical performance of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and nylon 6 fabricated using fused deposition modeling (FDM) and conventional injection molding. It is found that different processing methods did not affect the viscosity of the samples, and the percentage difference for the density measurement is less than 4%. Water absorption of FDM samples is approximately 108% higher compared to those fabricated using the injection molding. The results also revealed that the FDM method did not strongly affect the degree of crystallinity of ABS, but it increased the degree of crystallinity of PLA and nylon 6. The tensile strength, Young's modulus, elongation at break, and impact strength of FDM samples were approximately 48%, 50%, 48%, and 78%, lower compared with the injection molded samples. The results presented can provide a guide to manufacturing the final products using FDM with the desired performance.

Comparison of physical and mechanical properties of PLA, ABS and nylon 6 fabricated using fused deposition modeling and injection molding

The success of oil-based plastics and the continued growth of production and utilisation can be attributed to their cost, durability, strength to weight ratio, and eight contributions to the ease of everyday life. However, their mainly single use, durability and recalcitrant nature have led to a substantial increase of plastics as a fraction of municipal solid waste. The need to substitute single use products that are not easy to collect has inspired a lot of research towards finding sustainable replacements for oil-based plastics. In addition, specific physicochemical, biological, and degradation properties of biodegradable polymers have made them attractive materials for biomedical applications. This review summarises the advances in drug delivery systems, specifically design of nanoparticles based on the biodegradable polymers. We also discuss the research performed in the area of biophotonics and challenges and opportunities brought by the design and application of biodegradable polymers in tissue engineering. We then discuss state-of-the-art research in the design and application of biodegradable polymers in packaging and emphasise the advances in smart packaging development. Finally, we provide an overview of the biodegradation of these polymers and composites in managed and unmanaged environments.

Recent Advances in Bioplastics: Application and Biodegradation.

Previous studies have shown that 3D printed composites exhibit an orthotropic nature with inherently lower interlayer mechanical properties. This research work is an attempt to improve the interlayer tensile strength of extrusion-based 3D printed composites. Annealing was identified as a suitable post-processing method and was the focus of this study. Two distinct thermoplastic polymers, which are common in 3D printing, were selected to study the enhancement of interlayer tensile strength of composites by additive manufacturing: a) an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate-glycol (PETG), and b) a semi-crystalline poly (lactic acid) (PLA). It was determined that short carbon fiber reinforced composites have lower interlayer tensile strength than the corresponding neat polymers in 3D printed parts. This reduction in mechanical performance was attributable to an increase in melt viscosity and the consequential slower interlayer diffusion bonding. However, the reduction in interlayer tensile strength could be recovered by post-processing when the annealing temperature was higher than the glass transition temperature of the amorphous polymer. In the case of the semi-crystalline polymer, the recovery of the interlayer tensile strength was only observed when the annealing temperature was higher than the glass transition temperature but lower than the cold-crystallization temperature. This study utilized rheological and thermal analysis of 3D printed composites to provide a better understanding of the interlayer strength response and, therefore, overcome a mechanical performance limitation of these materials.

Enhancing the interlayer tensile strength of 3D printed short carbon fiber reinforced PETG and PLA composites via annealing

Fused filament fabrication (FFF), one of the most promising additive manufacturing (AM) methods has attracted considerable attention to date. Although FFF is evolving into a manufacturing tool with significant technological and material advancements, there remains a challenge to transfer FFF-printed parts into functional objects for practical applications. Polymer components fabricated by FFF technique exhibit weak and anisotropic mechanical properties compared to their counterparts by conventional processing. The limited mechanical property for the FFF-printed parts is a result of weak interlayer bond interface that develops during the layer-wise deposition process. This review documents recent advances on the bond interface in FFF-printed parts in aspects of its mechanisms, characterization and enhancement methods. The main objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the process-structure-properties of interlayer bond in FFF technique.

Fused filament fabrication of polymer materials: A review of interlayer bond

A fused deposition modeling method was used in this research to investigate the possibility of improving the mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid) by changing the thermal conditions of the printing process. Sample models were prepared while varying a wide range of printing parameters, including bed temperature, melt temperature, and raster angle. Certain samples were also thermally treated by annealing. The prepared materials were subjected to a detailed thermomechanical analysis (differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, heat deflection temperature (HDT)), which allowed the formulation of several conclusions. For all prepared samples, the key changes in mechanical properties are related to the content of the poly(lactic acid) crystalline phase, which led to superior properties in annealed samples. The results also indicate the highly beneficial effect of increased bed temperature, where the best results were obtained for the samples printed at 105 °C. Compared to the reference ...

Improving the Impact Strength and Heat Resistance of 3D Printed Models: Structure, Property, and Processing Correlationships during Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) of Poly(Lactic Acid).

Abstract Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is becoming increasingly prevalent as our population ages. It is characterized by the buildup of amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles containing hyperphosphorylated-tau. The current treatments for AD do not prevent the long-term progression of the disease and pre-clinical models often do not accurately represent its complexity. Bioprinting combines cells and biomaterials to create 3D structures that replicate the native tissue environment and can be used as a tool in disease modeling or drug screening. Methods This work differentiated both healthy and diseased patient–derived human induced pluripotent stems cells (hiPSCs) into neural progenitor cells (NPCs) that were bioprinted using the Aspect RX1 microfluidic printer into dome-shaped constructs. The combination of cells, bioink, and puromorphamine (puro)-releasing microspheres were used to mimic the in vivo environment and direct the differentiation of the NPCs into basal forebrain-resembling cholinergic neurons (BFCN). These tissue models were then characterized for cell viability, immunocytochemistry, and electrophysiology to evaluate their functionality and physiology for use as disease-specific neural models. Results Tissue models were successfully bioprinted and the cells were viable for analysis after 30- and 45-day cultures. The neuronal and cholinergic markers β-tubulin III (Tuj1), forkhead box G1 (FOXG1), and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were identified as well as the AD markers amyloid beta and tau. Further, immature electrical activity was observed when the cells were excited with potassium chloride and acetylcholine. Conclusions This work shows the successful development of bioprinted tissue models incorporating patient derived hiPSCs. Such models can potentially be used as a tool to screen promising drug candidates for treating AD. Further, this model could be used to increase the understanding of AD progression. The use of patient derived cells also shows the potential of this model for use in personalized medicine applications. 

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Claire Benwood

Papers

Improving the Impact Strength and Heat Resistance of 3D Printed Models: Structure, Property, and Processing Correlationships during Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) of Poly(Lactic Acid).

3D bioprinting patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell models of Alzheimer’s disease using a smart bioink