Degradation of 3D Printed Polymer Composites with Filler of Cellulose-Based Materials

Abstract

Today, the emphasis is on the production of materials that are degradable in nature and on production with modern technologies. For these materials to find a suitable use, they need to be exposed to the conditions that may arise in the application. The effect of degradation was assessed for composite materials with a PLA matrix and a natural-based filler, which were processed by 3D printing technology. The progress of degradation in the climate chamber was monitored over a period of 6 weeks. The results are determined by static tensile test and hardness test and the difference in weights of the test bodies. The test results confirmed. During the degradation process, the test specimens with natural fillers deformed less than the specimens made of pure PLA. The maximum tensile strength values for the material with natural fillers were approximately two thirds lower than for pure PLA. The maximum tensile strength during degradation showed an increasing or stagnant tendency. the maximum elongation decreased during degradation for the material with fillers showed a logarithmic behavior compared to pure PLA with a linear tendency.