Room temperature 3D printing of high-temperature engineering polymer and its nanocomposites with porosity control for multifunctional structures

Abstract

There is an increasing demand for the development of additive manufacturing techniques that support diverse materials with specific properties and performance characteristics. Engineering polymers are a type of high-performance material with lightweight, strong, and heat resistant. These properties enable replacing more dense materials, such as metals, and make them essential for application in various high-tech industries. Polyamide-imide (PAI) is an advanced engineering polymer with exceptional mechanical properties and thermal stability. However, due to the high glass transition temperature (Tg), the additive manufacturing of PAI 3D structures has not been realized through existing technologies. This study demonstrates room-temperature 3D printing for the PAI and PAI-based functional nanocomposite. Moreover, through a designed post-process drying procedure to control porosity, it is possible to enhance 3D structures' mechanical properties and functionality. The nanocomposite 3D systems exhibit a tensile strength of up to 105 MPa and Tg of 295 °C with aramid nanofibers, and an electrical conductivity of 200 S/m at 250 °C with carbon nanotubes. Given the high performance of printed nanocomposites with designed processes, we explore the potential and expended usage of more robust and lightweight polymer structures featuring diverse functionality for high-tech industries such as aerospace, air mobility, and semiconductor packaging.