Interlayer Bond Research Articles

Layer interface characteristics and adhesion of 3D printed cement-based materials exposed to post-printing temperature disturbance

The layer interface, which is vital for the performance and longevity of 3D printed cement-based materials (3DPCM), is very sensitive to the environmental conditions because of the lack of formwork. Nevertheless, the current limited understanding of how temperature affects the layer interface has restricted the application of 3D printing in different construction scenarios. Here, we revealed the effects of temperature on the multi-scale phase distribution features of the layer interface through mercury intrusion porosimetry, X-ray computed tomography, nanoindentation and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy techniques. Additionally, the interlayer bond strength of 3DPCM was evaluated via the splitting tensile test. Small amplitude oscillation, surface roughness and isothermal calorimetry measurements were employed for an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms. Results indicate that an increase in temperature post-printing reduces the discrepancies in aggregate volume fraction between the layer interface and bulk matrix due to the increasing structuration rate and the amount of cement paste at the interface due to the reduced settlement of aggregates. The porosity difference between the layer interface and bulk matrix decreased with increasing temperature due to the pore size refinement by faster filling with hydrates. In addition, a more concentrated distribution of atomic ratios and elastic modulus of hydrates were observed at the layer interface of 3DPCM hardened at higher temperatures. Increased curing temperature improves the interlayer bond strength of 3DPCM owing to the enhanced aggregate interlocking, reduced porosity and improved high-density CSH content.

Effect of hydration process on the interlayer bond tensile mechanical properties of ultra-high performance concrete for 3D printing

It is crucial to reveal interlayer interface characteristics for fully analysing the mechanical properties of 3D printed ultra-high performance concrete (3DP-UHPC). Despite its significance, the interlayer bonding behaviour of 3DP-UHPC has not been fully explored. To fill this gap, this study adopted different curing times and conditions to investigate the effect of hydration process on the interlayer microstructure and mechanical properties under different interlayer interval times. As the result show that, the interlayer microstructure remained dense for interval times less than 5 minutes, but interlayer gaps became increasingly apparent as the interval time exceeded this threshold. Promoting hydration, however, helped heal interlayer defects in 3DP-UHPC. Additionally, the interlayer bond tensile strength gradually decreased with increasing interval time but remained almost unchanged when the interval time exceeded 1 day. Notably, hot water bath curing enhanced the bond tensile strength of specimens with interval times within 60 minutes, but its improvement was insignificant for interval times exceeding 1 day. Based on these experimental results, a preliminary interlayer bond tensile stress-strain equation of 3DP-UHPC was derived. The findings of this study offer promising avenues for the improvement and promotion of 3DP-UHPC technology.

Assessment of dwell-fatigue properties of nickel-based superalloy coated with a multi-layered thermal and environmental barrier coating

A three-layered experimental thermal and environmental barrier coating (TEBC) was deposited using air plasma spraying technology on cylindrical specimens of nickel-based superalloy MAR-M247. TEBC consists of mullite (Al6Si2O13) and hexacelsian (BaAl2Si2O8) upper layer, Y2O3 stabilised ZrO2 interlayer and CoNiCrAlY bond coat deposited on the grit-blasted surface of MAR-M247. The cyclic plastic response and damage mechanisms in uncoated and TEBC-coated MAR-M247 have been studied in isothermal dwell-fatigue tests conducted under strain control with constant strain amplitude at 900 °C. In each cycle, 5-minute dwells were introduced in both tensile and compression peaks of the hysteresis loop. Fatigue hardening/softening curves, stress relaxation curves, cyclic stress-strain curves and fatigue life curves are reported. Ceaseless mild softening has been found in both uncoated and TEBC-coated MAR-M247. TEBC-coated MAR-M247 showed an improved lifetime in the whole range of tested strain amplitudes. Data obtained from stress relaxation curves were used to assess the fraction of creep damage. The generalised damage accumulation rule was used to evaluate damage due to fatigue-creep-environment interaction. A study of the surface relief and internal microstructure using SEM and TEM helped to interpret the specifics of fatigue behaviour of uncoated and TEBC-coated material. The effectiveness of this newly developed TEBC, together with the dwell sensitivity of MAR-M247, were discussed from the perspective relevant to dwell-fatigue cyclic straining.

Correlating Microstructural and Rheological Variations in Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) with Interlayer Bond Formation in Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing

Correlating Microstructural and Rheological Variations in Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) with Interlayer Bond Formation in Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing

Synthesis and structure of a non-van-der-Waals two-dimensional coordination polymer with superconductivity

Two-dimensional conjugated coordination polymers exhibit remarkable charge transport properties, with copper-based benzenehexathiol (Cu-BHT) being a rare superconductor. However, the atomic structure of Cu-BHT has remained unresolved, hindering a deeper understanding of the superconductivity in such materials. Here, we show the synthesis of single crystals of Cu3BHT with high crystallinity, revealing a quasi-two-dimensional kagome structure with non-van der Waals interlayer Cu-S covalent bonds. These crystals exhibit intrinsic metallic behavior, with conductivity reaching 103 S/cm at 300 K and 104 S/cm at 2 K. Notably, superconductivity in Cu3BHT crystals is observed at 0.25 K, attributed to enhanced electron-electron interactions and electron-phonon coupling in the non-van der Waals structure. The discovery of this clear correlation between atomic-level crystal structure and electrical properties provides a crucial foundation for advancing superconductor coordination polymers, with potential to revolutionize future quantum devices.

Thermal-responsive soil-hydrogel composite for additive construction

To improve the formability and bonding strength of 3D printing soil, a temperature-stimulating responsive intelligent soil-hydrogel 3D printing formula was innovatively developed by combining soil and gelatin. Varied soil-gelatin composites, featuring different gelatin content by weight of soil (0 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, and 1.5 %), were prepared and cured at 5 °C to facilitate the crosslinking of gelatin. An array of tests, including rheological assessments, compressive tests, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Were conducted to thoroughly characterize the performance of gelatin-soil composites for 3D printing. Our findings unveiled that, following the cross-linking of gelatin at 5 °C, the gelatin-soil composites exhibited superior formability and bond strength compared to the reference. Furthermore, the soil-gelatin composites demonstrated not only comparable compressive strength to the reference but also enhanced interlayer bond strength. This innovative soil-hydrogel 3D printing formula, combining the versatility of soil and the responsive characteristics of gelatin, presents a promising avenue for advancing the capabilities of 3D printed soil.

Research progress on constructability of 3D printed concrete

Abstract 3D printing concrete technology is an innovative building technology for green manufacturing, but in order to achieve better performance requirements, there is still a need for continuous in-depth research on 3D printing parameters, theory and the use of admixtures. In this paper, the effects of three printing parameters, interlayer interval time, nozzle travel speed and height, and nozzle shape on the constructability of 3D printed concrete were discussed, and the effects of bonding properties on the constructability of 3D printed concrete were analyzed. The study found that shortening the interval time between layers, reducing the travel speed and height of the nozzle, and choosing a triangular nozzle can improve the interlayer bond strength of 3D printed concrete, and thus improve the constructability of 3D printed concrete.

Effects of nozzle geometry and fiber orientation on the tensile strength of 3D printed continuous fiber reinforced composites

In material extrusion (MEX) based 3D printing, inter-filament voids are intrinsic to printing process. The void orientation, volume and shape are affected by multiple factors including the nozzle shape, stacking sequence and printing direction. In this study, the adverse effects of the inter-filament voids on tensile properties and damage modes were investigated numerically on 3D printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene-carbon fiber (ABS/CF) continuous fiber-reinforced composites (CFRCs). Uniaxial tensile simulations were performed considering various nozzle geometries (circular, square), fiber orientations (θ=0o,30o,45o,60o,90o) relative to loading direction, and a regular stacking sequence of extrudates. The extrudate cross-section was modeled either using elliptical or superelliptical extrudates deposited from a circular or square nozzle, respectively. Excellent agreement was seen when the simulated results were benchmarked against several published experimental and numerical work. Simulated results showed that changing the nozzle shape from circular to square improved the mechanical properties across all fiber angles by lowering the void content by 7−8% and increasing the ultimate tensile strength (σT) by 11−18%, tensile stiffness (ET) by 6−8%, and the tensile failure strains (ϵT,fail) by 1−11%. For superelliptical extrudates the number of observed damage modes also reduced, and this is due to a 37.2% and 58.2% improvement in the inter-filament and inter-layer bond lengths, respectively. Also, when fiber angle became increasingly off-axis to tensile load direction, the strengths, moduli, and failure strains reduced for both circular and square nozzles. The significance of using microstructure geometries and explicitly modeling inter-filament voids for simulating MEX printed CFRCs was highlighted by comparing these results with both analytical calculations and simulated results of homogeneous solid CFRC blocks without voids.

Polyacrylonitrile fiber reinforced 3D printed concrete: Effects of fiber length and content

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers significantly improve the toughness, strength, and crack resistance of conventional concrete. This research explores the impact of PAN fibers, in lengths of 6 mm and 12 mm and dosages of 0 %, 0.1 %, 0.2 %, 0.3 %, and 0.4 %, on the rheology, extrudability, buildability, mechanical performance, and anisotropic characteristics of 3D printed concrete. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the fiber distribution in the concrete. The findings show that as the PAN fiber content increases, the flowability and extrudability of the 3D printed concrete decrease. Optimal buildability was achieved with 6 mm PAN fibers at dosages between 0.1 % and 0.2 %. Compressive strength initially increases and then decreases with higher PAN fiber content, whereas flexural strength continuously increases with fiber content. The 12 mm PAN fibers outperform the 6 mm fibers in enhancing flexural strength, with a maximum improvement of 42.41 %. Increased fiber length and content lead to greater anisotropy and weaker interlayer bonds in the 3D printed concrete, with specimens showing the highest compressive and flexural strengths in the X and Y directions, respectively. SEM results indicate that the distribution of fibers is the main factor causing the mechanical anisotropy.

Enhancing the performance of 3D-printed fiber-Reinforced mortar: synergistic effects of clays and bacterial cells as viscosity modifying agents

The absence of standardized 3D concrete printing mixtures drives ongoing material exploration. This study investigates mineral and bio-based viscosity modifying agents (VMAs) application in fiber-reinforced cementitious mortar. Nano-montmorillonite, sepiolite, and bacterial cells function as supplementary materials, partially substituting cement with fly ash for sustainability assessment and compatibility evaluation in our study. Mechanical tests encompass compressive, flexural strength, and interlayer bonding in 3D-printed samples. Based on the results, incorporating 0.150% Polyamide (PA) fiber positively affected interlayer bonding strength and deceleration of the flow loss rate. Additionally, adding clays decreased workability and compressive strength but improved interlayer bonding and flexural properties. On the other hand, substituting 20% of cement with FA improved the flowability of the mixture and showed great compatibility with other materials during printing. Applying a cement paste layer was evaluated as a practical method for bond enhancement at the interface. Bacteria incorporation improved flexural strength but weakened interlayer bonding. However, the combination of bacteria and clays resulted in a superior improvement in mechanical properties. This study demonstrates clays and bacteria’s potential in enhancing rheological and mechanical features in cementitious fiber-reinforced mortar. Notably, this study introduces bacteria cells and sepiolite as rheology modifiers in 3D concrete printing for the first time. Additionally, it presents a novel dog-bone-shaped structure test for assessing interlayer bond performance.

Role of the structural order of the hydration layer in regulating the heterogeneous ice nucleation efficiency

Understanding the complex microscopic mechanisms of heterogeneous ice nucleation is crucial across diverse fields from cloud science to microbiology. In this work, we examined the ability of solid surfaces to promote ice nucleation as a function of the structural order of interfacial water, including the first and second hydration layers. Comprehensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations using the TIP4P/ice water model were conducted on a water film atop a modeled surface inspired by the (0001) surface of AgI crystal, with varying surface charges. These simulations revealed non-monotonic nucleation rates. The first hydration layer formed a hexagonal hydrogen-bond network resembling ice structures, exhibiting low mobility essential for inducing ice nucleation. Notably, the second hydration layer, acting as a key-point bridge, displayed varying degrees of orientational preference facilitated by inter-layer hydrogen bonds. The calculation of fluctuation parameters indicated that the greater structural order of the second layer significantly enhances the surface’s ice-forming capabilities. Unlike previous studies that focused primarily on the role of the first layer of interfacial water, our findings demonstrate that the second layer provides a more accurate indicator of ice nucleation capabilities.

Emergence of Superconductivity in Indium Triphosphate via Pressure‐Tuned Interlayer Bond Formation

Tuning interlayer interactions offer an alternative approach to access novel electronic structure and intriguing physical properties in layered materials. Here, the emergence of a new form of superconductivity in two‐dimensional (2D) binary phosphides by strengthening the interlayer coupling with lattice compression is reported. Electrical transport measurements show strong evidence of superconductivity in InP3 with the highest critical temperature (Tc) of 9.5 K at 45.1 GPa. Raman and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) measurements indicate that the interlayer interactions are dramatically modulated under compression, along with the deformation of local In–P bipyramid structure and reduction of the interlayer distances, which eventually results in the formation of In–P bonds between neighboring In–P bipyramids and a Rm to Cmcm structural transition. First‐principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that pressure enhances the interlayer interactions, which increases the density of states (DOS) near the Fermi surface (N(EF)) and strengthens the electron–phonon coupling. Consequently, this favors the occurrence of superconductivity in compressed InP3. This study not only introduces a new superconductivity phase with enhanced electron–phonon coupling in binary phosphides, but also provides a platform for exploring the pressure effect on interlayer interactions in material systems with corrugated layered structure.

Time-dependent behaviour of 3D printed fibre-reinforced limestone calcined clay cement concrete under sustained loadings

The evolution of 3D-printed concrete (3DPC) structures has made remarkable impacts in the construction industry and academia for prospective engineering practice globally. This is due to promising outcomes of various investigations on its construction coupled with several advantages it offers over conventional cast concrete. However, the time-dependent deformation of 3DPC under sustained loading is still unknown and requires extensive research. Quasi-static studies have also shown that creep could be of great concern due to its production technique involving layer stacking, which eventually leads to weak interlayer bond strength. This paper experimentally investigates the time-dependent behaviour of fibre-reinforced printed concrete (FRPC) containing limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) under sustained tensile and flexural loadings. The experimental tests conducted on LC3-FRPC specimens in two orthogonal directions were individual creep and shrinkage to determine other parameters associated with creep responses, including creep fracture. The specimens for tensile and flexural creep were subjected to sustained stresses of 40, 60 and 80 % of the tensile and 40 % flexural strength results obtained from quasi-static tests. The quantified creep is compared in terms of the difference in stress levels, as the results revealed that none of the specimens fractured under sustained loadings. Instead, higher direct tensile strengths were recorded for the creep specimens after 225 days loaded at different stress levels. Then, it is postulated that direct tensile tests on similar LC3-FRPC specimens without creep loading may confirm that the monotonic stress-strain response at the age at which the tests are terminated forms an envelope for creep fracture.

Analysis of the Effect of Layer Height on the Interlayer Bond in Self-Compacting Concrete Mix in Slab Elements.

This paper presents a study on the influence of the layered casting technology of self-compacting concrete (SCC) on the load-bearing capacity of interlayer bond in slab elements. The research was conducted on slab elements with dimensions of 750 × 750 × 150 mm, concreted from a single point of concrete delivery. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of the height of the concreting top layer on the bond strength between the layers. The study utilised top layer heights of 50, 75, and 100 mm, which, according to the authors' experience, are the most common cases when making slab elements. The interlayer bond was determined by investigating the splitting tensile strength of cubic specimens cut from the concrete slabs. Computed tomography (CT) was employed to image the contact zone between the concrete layers. Based on the analysis of the CT imaging and the results of the strength tests, it was shown that the interlayer bond is influenced by both the height of the top layer and its free-spread distance from the casting point. A reduction in the interlayer bond strength was observed with decreasing the height of the top layer and increasing distance from the mixture supply point. The relationships obtained were linear and had a clearly negative slope. It was concluded that the valid recommendations and standards for the multilayer casting of SCC are too general. Therefore, we propose to detail the recommendations to reduce the risk of cold joints, which diminish the bond strength of the interlayer joints.

The influence of interlayer bonding conditions on the propagation laws of reflective cracks in semi-rigid base pavement based on the DEM and GPR

Reflection cracks represent the predominant internal distress in semi-rigid base asphalt pavements and often accompanied by additional secondary issues that detrimentally affect the pavement structural bearing capacity. The propagation and deterioration of reflective cracks are affected by many factors, for example the interlayer bonding conditions. It is crucial to identify the propagation and deterioration of reflective cracks to prolong the life of pavement structure. The purpose of this article is to explore the influence of interlayer bonding conditions on the propagation laws of reflective cracks. This work employs the discrete element method(DEM) to explore the propagation patterns of reflection cracks accompanied different bonding conditions between the surface layer and base layer subjected to moving load. The results of discrete element simulation reveal a three-phase progression laws when the reflective cracks expand from the base layer to the pavement surface，involving rapid propagation, stable propagation, and failure process. With the interlayer bond strength decreases, expansion of reflective crack is significantly accelerated. Meanwhile, once the critical bond strength threshold is reached, complete debonding will occur between the surface and base layers. The results are ultimately verified through the core sampling from practical engineering using three-dimensional (3D) ground penetrating radar(GPR) detection, along with the radar image recognition of reflective cracks and poor interlayer bonding. The results will serve as a foundation for researching the mechanism and treatment measures for two internal pavement distress, namely reflection cracks and poor interlayer bonding.

3D printing with stabilized earth: Material development and effect of carbon sequestration on engineering performance

This research examines the feasibility of using excavated soil (clay content of 44 %) as 25 % and 50 % replacement of natural sand in 3D printable formulations. A combination of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and fly ash (FA) are used as binders for stabilization. The development of engineering properties subject to two curing conditions – normal curing and CO2 curing (5 % concentration for 5 h) are investigated. Experimental findings suggest that a combination of FA and clay (mainly kaolinite) in the used soil reduces plastic viscosity and improves flow retention, thus enhancing the extrusion quality and stability. The flocculation of clay at rest accelerates the evolution of static yield stress after extrusion, imparting 18–30 % better thixotropy. As a result, OPC-FA-soil mixes could be stacked to a height of 1.20 m compared to 0.48–0.54 m for OPC-sand and OPC-FA-sand mixes. Carbon sequestration via CO2 curing leads to an increase in wet compressive strength of OPC-25 % soil and OPC-FA-25 % soil by 29–38 % and 26–47 % respectively at 1-day age, which is ascribed to the densification effect of mineral carbonates. This is also reflected in the reduction in water sorptivity through the inter-layer zones and total shrinkage by 20 % and 16 % respectively. Due to reduced shrinkage and capillary sorption, inter-layer bond strengths in CO2-cured OPC-25 % soil are also improved by 20–50 % than the normally cured counterpart. In summary, the research demonstrates a feasible pathway to develop carbon-sequestering earth-based materials (CO2 uptake of 9–11 wt% of OPC) for additive manufacturing of masonry building and infrastructural members.

Interlayer Bond Strength of 3D Printed Concrete Members with Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Mix

Interlayer Bond Strength of 3D Printed Concrete Members with Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Mix

Printing path-dependent two-scale models for 3D printed planar auxetics by material extrusion

One particularly interesting class of mechanical metamaterials are those having a negative Poisson’s ratio, which are referred to as ‘auxetics’. Because of their geometrical complexity, auxetic designs cannot always be easily created. However, Additive Manufacturing (AM) methods like material extrusion in 3D printing present the opportunity to construct auxetic structures. Nevertheless, extruded 3D printed material can be highly anisotropic. Before 3D printed auxetics manufactured through material extrusion can be used in engineering applications, it is important to generate powerful simulation tools that can reliably reproduce and foretell their mechanical characteristics irrespective of their form and intricacy. In view of this, the current work proposes printing path-dependent models based on an experimentally validated multi-scale modelling scheme using the Lattice Beam Model (LBM). This is done by first representing idealized microstructures of extruded 3D printed polymers through geometric models and simulating these on the material scale. The aim is to explicitly model the inter-layer and intra-layer bonds that exist in material extruded 3D printed parts by assigning experimentally obtained interface properties that significantly differ from the bulk material. On the auxetic structure scale, two planar auxetic designs are modelled using the determined material scale relationships as input: Re-Entrant (RE) and Rotating Square (RS). In terms of mechanical response, the experimentally and numerically obtained force displacement curves agree reasonably well: the stiffness of the modelled auxetic designs fit well with the experimentally measured ones while the LBM simulations generally provide a good estimation in strength. Finally, it has been shown on both the material and auxetic structure scales that incorporation of the interfacial bond strengths in simulations of extruded 3D printed polymers is important, because neglecting these results in significant overestimation of the strength.

Effect of superabsorbent polymer on 3D printing characteristics as rheology-modified agent

This study aims to investigate the effects of two superabsorbent polymer (SAP) types, S1 and S2 (with continual absorption and rapid desorption, respectively) as rheology-modified agent on 3D printing characteristics. Three base mixtures were selected with different thixotropic behaviors (i.e., mixtures with high re-flocculation (τfloc), high structuration rate (Athix), and both low τfloc and Athix, respectively). The initial mini-slump flow of 190±10 mm was secured by adjusting superplasticizer (SP) or water demand (increasing w/b by either 0.025 or 0.05). An extrudable region was determined within the range of τfloc (200–890 Pa) and Athix (15–60 Pa/min). The use of the S2 SAP significantly improved extruded performance for mixtures with τfloc higher than 1000 Pa. The use of the S1 SAP without increasing w/b (only with extra SP demand) significantly improved the resistance against plastic collapse for the mixtures with τfloc lower than 300 Pa. The reduction in 28-day compressive strength for printed specimens was correlated with τfloc. A high τfloc value led to inadequate interlayer bond and an increased propensity for surface defects of printed structure. The S2 SAP acted as a rheology-modified agent to reduce τfloc and improved the interlayer bond performance by 10 %-20 %.

Experimental and FEM evaluation of the influence of interlayer bonding strength in 3D printed concrete members under compressive and flexural loadings

The use of 3D concrete printing has remarkably increased in the building industry recently. However, the buildability and mechanical qualities of the printed concrete still depends on various influential elements. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of the interlayer bond on the anisotropic mechanical behavior of 3D printed concrete after 7 and 28 days of curing, under compressive and flexural loading of in and out of plane laminated surfaces while varying the concrete materials. The mechanical properties of the 3D printed concrete specimens were tested, and the results revealed that the compressive and flexural strengths were strongly dependent on the loading direction of the laminated surface. Analytical modeling of the specimens was performed using the LS-DYNA tool to further validate the experimental results. The effects of the interfacial friction bond and nozzle diameters on compressive and flexural strengths were investigated. Four alternative interlocking configurations, such as “I,” “T,” “S,” and “V”-shaped forms, were examined to increase strength by improving mechanical interlocking in the layers and the laminated surface, as well as interface responses.