Comprehensive analysis of 3D printed PA6.6 and fiber-reinforced variants: Revealing mechanical properties and adhesive wear behavior

Abstract

While 3-dimensional (3D) printing technology is advancing rapidly, commonly used filament materials are struggling to meet growing expectations. Polyamide (PA) is a material with high potential to replace commonly used low-performance filament materials, thanks to its cost-effectiveness and optimal material properties compared to advanced engineering materials. To explore this potential, the thermal, thermomechanical, and mechanical properties (at different temperatures), as well as the wear characteristics, of PA, short carbon fiber reinforced-PA (SCFR-PA), and short glass fiber reinforced-PA (SGFR-PA) filaments were comparatively examined in this study. Differential scanning calorimeter analysis (DSC), Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMA), uniaxial tensile tests, and Shore D hardness tests were conducted on the 3D printed specimens. The yield strength decreased by 48% and 73%, respectively, for neat PA as compared to room temperature when tested at 40 °C and 60 °C, while for SCFR-PA, it decreased by 40% and 60%, and for SGFR-PA, it decreased by 33% and 48%, respectively. The findings obtained from wear tests conducted on both bottom and top surfaces have demonstrated that glass reinforcement yields better results than carbon reinforcement. The experimental findings have been compared with SEM images, revealing their consistency. Highlights: This study focuses on the performance evaluation of 3D printed PA and its composites. The mechanical properties of the materials at different temperatures were compared. Adhesive wear behavior is not directly related to fiber type, wear surface or hardness. Morphological analysis was conducted to elucidate the influence of fiber type on mechanical properties and wear behavior.