The Extent of Interlayer Bond Strength during Fused Filament Fabrication of Nylon Copolymers: An Interplay between Thermal History and Crystalline Morphology.

One of the main drawbacks of Fused Filament Fabrication is the often-inadequate mechanical performance of printed parts due to a lack of sufficient interlayer bonding between successively deposited layers. The phenomenon of interlayer bonding becomes especially complex for semi-crystalline polymers, as, besides the extremely non-isothermal temperature history experienced by the extruded layers, the ongoing crystallization process will greatly complicate its analysis. This work attempts to elucidate a possible relation between the degree of crystallinity attained during printing by mimicking the experienced thermal history with Fast Scanning Chip Calorimetry, the extent of interlayer bonding by performing trouser tear fracture tests on printed specimens, and the resulting crystalline morphology at the weld interface through visualization with polarized light microscopy.