Abstract
Selective laser sintering (SLS) to prepare composites by adding filler into polymer is an effective method to save costs and reinforce the sintered parts. This article investigated the fabrication of PA2200 composites filled with different volume fractions of hollow glass microsphere (HGM) by SLS. HGM was prepared by silane coupling agent surface treatment. The particle size distribution, microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties of PA2200/HGM composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and tensile experiment. The results indicated that the density of the composite was significantly reduced compared to the neat PA2200 and the density decreased with the HGMs content increasing. HGM improved the warping deformation in the process of sintering. The tensile modulus increased while tensile strength and elongation at break decreased as a function of HGM volume fraction in a certain range. This work indicated that thermal properties and tensile properties of polyamide-matrix composites can be reinforced by adjusting HGM content, and PA2200/HGM composite powder is a good material for SLS with less density and lower cost.
Highlights
Selective laser sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technique which uses a laser beam to locally melt polymer powder to build products in a layer by layer fashion
The effect of adding hollow glass microsphere (HGM) prepared by silane coupling agent surface treatment on the sintering process, microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties of PA2200 were experimentally analyzed
HGM played a key role on light weighting for polyamide composite
Summary
Selective laser sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technique which uses a laser beam to locally melt polymer powder to build products in a layer by layer fashion. SLS has been widely used for its unique advantages in the diversification of the SLS material, material saving, sintering without support, high intensity parts and rapid metal parts manufacturing[1]. Laser sintering of polyamide (PA) has developed and grown into a viable prototyping tool and production method for small series production of high strength functional polymer parts[2,3]. The common polyamide powder materials in the market mainly include PA6, PA11, PA12, etc. PA2200 is a special multipurpose material based on polyamide PA12 that developed for Eosint-p series rapid prototyping equipment by EOS GmbH. Its typical application is the functional prototype after high precision machining and polishing with high cost
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