Single material FDM printed nacre-like composite structure with high fracture resistance: Utilizing interface as soft phase

Abstract

Nacre is known for its excellent combination of strength and toughness, which is believed to be due to its complex internal structure composed of hard mineral and soft organic matter. Here, a novel strategy for fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing of nacre-like structure is presented, in which the inherent interface between filaments is considered as the soft phase and the filament as the hard phase. The nacre-like specimens with different geometric parameters are prepared and investigated by fracture test and impact test. The results show that the fracture behavior of the nacre-like specimens is controlled by the overlap ratio and the aspect ratio. The impact strength of the nacre-like specimen with a single material is up to six times that of the injection molded one. The impact resistance originates from the generation of crack deflection. The strategy of exploiting the inherently weak interface of FDM printed materials provides a novel approach to the structural design of 3D printed composites.