Dielectric Barrier Discharge Applicator for Heating Carbon Nanotube-Loaded Interfaces and Enhancing 3D-Printed Bond Strength.

Material extrusion (ME) 3D printing is a revolutionary technique for manufacturing thermoplastic parts; however, the printed parts typically suffer from poor interlayer bonding, which causes weak tensile strength in the build direction. Many methods have been proposed to address the mechanical deficiencies of 3D-printed parts, but most fall short of a production-ready solution. Here we report the use of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma electrode mounted concentrically around the nozzle of an ME 3D printer for welding of thermoplastic parts.