3D printing of copper particles and poly(methyl methacrylate) beads containing poly(lactic acid) composites for enhancing thermomechanical properties

Abstract

AbstractPoly(lactic acid) (PLA) composite filaments with different copper (Cu) contents as high as 40 and 20 wt% of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) beads have been fabricated by twin‐screw extruder for 3D printing. A fused‐deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing technology has been used to print the PLA composites containing hybrid fillers of Cu particles and PMMA beads. The morphology, mechanical, and thermal properties of the printed PLA composites were investigated. The tensile strength was slightly decreased, but storage modulus and thermal conductivity of PLA composites were significantly improved by adding Cu particles in the presence of PMMA beads. The PLA composites with hybrid fillers of 40 wt% of Cu particles and 20 wt% of PMMA beads resulted in thermal conductivity of 0.49 W m−1 K−1 which was three times higher than that of the bare PLA resin. The facilitation of the segregated network of high‐thermally conductive Cu particles with the PMMA beads in PLA matrix provided thermally conductive pathways and resulted in a remarkable enhancement in thermal conductivity.