Abstract
New auto-plasticised copolymers of poly(vinyl chloride)-r-(acrylate) and polyvinylchloride, obtained by radical polymerization, are investigated to analyse their capacity to be processed by 3D printing. The specific microstructure of the copolymers gives rise to a phase-separated morphology constituted by poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) domains dispersed in a continuous phase of acrylate-vinyl chloride copolymer. The analysis of the rheological results allows the suitability of these copolymers to be assessed for use in a screw-driven 3D printer, but not by the fused filament fabrication method. This is due to the high melt elasticity of the copolymers, caused by interfacial tension between phases. A relationship between the relaxation modulus of the copolymers and the interlayer adhesion is established. Under adequate 3D-printing conditions, flexible and ductile samples with good dimensional stability and cohesion are obtained, as is proven by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tensile stress-strain tests.
Highlights
The growth of additive manufacturing (AM) techniques has produced a revolution in material processing methods since these technologies provide significant advantages over traditional processing techniques in terms of shape complexity, rapid prototyping, and so on [1,2,3]
This is the case for polymers used for extrusion-based AM technologies, which are practically limited to semicrystalline rigid polymers, such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polypropylene (PP) or poly(ethylene glycol) (PETG), while the number of flexible alternatives is more restricted [2]
poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)-butyl acrylate (BA) showed a shoulder in the high molecular weight region
Summary
The growth of additive manufacturing (AM) techniques has produced a revolution in material processing methods since these technologies provide significant advantages over traditional processing techniques in terms of shape complexity, rapid prototyping, and so on [1,2,3]. Multiple additive manufacturing technologies have been developed for different materials, such as metals, ceramics, polymers and composites. Owing to the specificity of each AM technology, available materials differ from traditional commodity materials [5]. This is the case for polymers used for extrusion-based AM technologies, which are practically limited to semicrystalline rigid polymers, such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polypropylene (PP) or poly(ethylene glycol) (PETG), while the number of flexible alternatives is more restricted [2]. In the case of extrusion-based AM, the most popular technology is fused filament fabrication (FFF) where the printer is fed with a filament and forced through an extrusion nozzle. The Polymers 2020, 12, 2070; doi:10.3390/polym12092070 www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers
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