Comparing mechanical properties of impact modified polypropylene-copolymer (IMPP) from injection molding (IM) and fused layer modeling (FLM) processes
ISSN: 1355-2546
Article publication date: 3 February 2020
Issue publication date: 19 June 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to produce dimensionally accurate and reliable fused layer modeling (FLM) feedstock composed of an impact modified polypropylene matrix, compounded with a cellulose nanofiber (CNF) reinforcement and coupled by a maleic anhydride coupling agent to produce comparable mechanical properties in comparison to the industry-standard method of injection molding (IM).
Design/methodology/approach
A spray dried CNF (SDCNF) was compounded with the polymer matrix using a masterbatch method. The composite was diluted with neat polymer and extruded into a filament and then printed into standardized mechanical testing samples. For comparison, the filament was chopped and standardized samples were produced with IM.
Findings
A loss in mechanical properties of up to 30% was observed in FLM samples. If normalized to reflect improved density from a part consolidation method, losses are reduced to 15% or show improvements in the neat polymer matrix.
Originality/value
Limited research has been done on producing FLM feedstock, reporting mechanical property results based on standardized testing and comparing the same material with IM.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The testing was conducted with support from the students and staff at the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5751.
Funding: Funding is provided in part by the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES) Project ME0-M-8-00527-13 and the USDA ARS Forest Products Research Agreement 58-0202-4-003. Authors thank Chris West for building the filament collector and processing assistance as well as Richard Fredericks II for building and assembling the 3D printer enclosure and Bill Halterman for statistical consulting.
Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Citation
Sanders, J.E., Wang, L. and Gardner, D.J. (2020), "Comparing mechanical properties of impact modified polypropylene-copolymer (IMPP) from injection molding (IM) and fused layer modeling (FLM) processes", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 26 No. 6, pp. 993-1003. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-10-2018-0260
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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