Adjustment of Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Continuous Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Thermoset Composites by Print Parameter Adjustments.

Reinforcing thermoset polymers with continuous carbon fiber (CF) tow has emerged as a promising avenue to overcome the thermal and mechanical performance limitations of 3D printed polymeric structures for load-bearing applications. Unlike traditional methods, manufacturing continuous fiber-reinforced composites by 3D printing has the unique capability of locally varying the mechanical properties of the composites. In this study, continuous CF thermoset composite specimens were printed with varying line spacing, resin flow rate, and nozzle sizes.

Mechanical Characterization and Production of Various Shapes Using Continuous Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Thermoset Resin-Based 3D Printing.

Continuous carbon fiber-reinforced (CCFR) thermoset composites have received significant attention due to their excellent mechanical and thermal properties. The implementation of 3D printing introduces cost-effectiveness and design flexibility into their manufacturing processes. The light-assisted 3D printing process shows promise for manufacturing CCFR composites using low-viscosity thermoset resin, which would otherwise be unprintable.

A Mechanical Performance Study of Dual Cured Thermoset Resin Systems 3D-Printed with Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforcement.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is one of the fastest-growing manufacturing technologies in modern times. One of the major challenges in the application of 3D-printed polymeric objects is expanding the applications to structural components, as they are often limited by their mechanical and thermal properties. To enhance the mechanical properties of 3D-printed thermoset polymer objects, reinforcing the polymer with continuous carbon fiber (CF) tow is an expanding direction of research and development.

A Preliminary Environmental Assessment of Epoxidized Sucrose Soyate (ESS)-Based Biocomposite.

Biocomposites can be both environmentally and economically beneficial: during their life cycle they generally use and generate less petroleum-based carbon, and when produced from the byproduct of another industry or recycled back to the manufacturing process, they will bring additional economic benefits through contributing to a circular economy. Here we investigate and compare the environmental performance of a biocomposite composed of a soybean oil-based resin (epoxidized sucrose soyate) and flax-based reinforcement using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. We evaluate the main environmental impacts that are generated during the production of the bio-based resin used in the biocomposite, as well as the biocomposite itself.

Pretreatment of Wheat Bran for Suitable Reinforcement in Biocomposites.

Wheat bran, abundant but underutilized, was investigated for its potential as a reinforcement in biocomposites through different pretreatment methods. Pretreatment methods included were dilute sodium hydroxide (NaOH), dilute sulfuric acid (HSO), liquid hot water (LHW), calcium hydroxide (CaOH), organosolv such as aqueous ethanol (EtOH), and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). Changes in chemical composition and fiber characteristics of the treated bran were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Influence of Hybridizing Flax and Hemp-Agave Fibers with Glass Fiber as Reinforcement in a Polyurethane Composite.

In this study, six combinations of flax, hemp, and glass fiber were investigated for a hybrid reinforcement system in a polyurethane (PU) composite. The natural fibers were combined with glass fibers in a PU composite in order to achieve a better mechanical reinforcement in the composite material. The effect of fiber hybridization in PU composites was evaluated through physical and mechanical properties such as water absorption (WA), specific gravity (SG), coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE), flexural and compression properties, and hardness.

Bio-Based Resin Reinforced with Flax Fiber as Thermorheologically Complex Materials.

With the increase in structural applications of bio-based composites, the study of long-term creep behavior of these materials turns into a significant issue. Because of their bond type and structure, natural fibers and thermoset resins exhibit nonlinear viscoelastic behavior. Time-temperature superposition (TTS) provides a useful tool to overcome the challenge of the long time required to perform the tests.