1. Investigation of the rheological behaviour for improved extrusion-based additive manufacturing of polymer composites based on dissociative dynamic covalent bonds
- Author
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Francesca, Furia, Ellen, Roels, Seppe, Terryn, Lutz, Alexander, Bram, Vanderborght, Guy, Van Assche, and Joost, Brancart
- Abstract
More complex 3D structures were manufactured out of reversible covalent polymer networks using multi-material extrusion-based additive manufacturing. The rheological behaviour of reversible polymer networks based on the thermoreversible Diels-Alder reaction was optimized through the addition of different types of nanoclays and carbon black. The extrudability and deposition of the composites improved up to 5wt% nanoclay, as the viscosity behaviour increased by an order of magnitude in the nozzle and by two orders of magnitude at the print bed temperature, without affecting the reversible gel transition temperature and the healing performance. An electrically conductive composite with 20wt% carbon black and 1wt% nanoclay could be printed using nozzle sizes down to 0.3mm, resulting in higher resolution and accuracy than the pristine polymer networks. The percolating filler network enabled the printing of overhangs and hollow structures without the need for support material with perfect mechanical and electrical isotropy. Multi-material printing combining the electrically conductive and non-conductive composites enabled manufacturing self-healing deformation and force sensors that could recover their sensing performance upon damage healing at 90 °C for one hour.
- Published
- 2024
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