Modified poly (lactic acid) (pla) filament for 3d printing with improved thermal properties
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Date
2018-06
Authors
Muhammad Akhmal Firdaus Rafie
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Abstract
In this research, the primary objective is to study the effect of plasticizers and
annealing on mechanical and thermal properties of the PLA structure The blend of PLA with
plasticizers namely Poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) is prepared with different blend ratio 100/0,
95/5 and 90/10. Single screw extrusion has been used to blend the composition to produce the
materials for compression moulding and filament for 3D printing. Different die diameter has
been used to produce the filament. It was found that increasing the PEG content will decrease
the tensile strength and tensile modulus with increase the elongation at break. This is due to
the plasticizer effect which reduces the glass transition temperature (Tg) and impart flexibility
to the PLA structure. For thermal properties, the DSC analysis shows the decrease of Tg and
cold crystallization temperature (Tcc) results as the plasticizer level increased to enhanced
chain mobility. XRD analysis shows the smaller peak detects at 10% PLA/PEG blends and
other blends shows amorphous graph. To improve the properties, annealing process has been
done at temperature of 70 0C, 90 0C and 120 0C for 90 minutes. For 3D printing, bed
temperature has been used to study the heat transfer from one layer to another. For
mechanical properties, results shows that annealing at 90 0C is the optimum temperature
which increase the tensile strength, elongation at break and tensile modulus for annealing and
3D printing samples. For thermal properties, DSC analysis shows the decrease of Tg and Tm
with formation of double melting peak result in melt-recrystallization occur. XRD analysis
shows the peak detects at 2𝜃 = 16.9 and 2𝜃 =19.3 which indicate the crystal formed inside
PLA. FTIR is been conduct to detect the presence of PEG inside the PLA which result in
detection of C=O, -CH and C-C and C-O-H indicate the present of PLA and PEG in the
blend.