Effect of chemical and heat treatment on 3D printed parts: nanoparticles embedment approach

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ABSTRACT

Fused filament fabrication is one of the 3D printing processes, which deposits semi-molten thermoplastic material according to the computer-aided design (CAD) model in a layer-by-layer manner. The process is suitable for rapid tooling and prototyping applications. Due to the advancement in printable materials, the FFF parts also utilised for direct end-use applications. The process is economical compared to other polymer-based 3D printing processes. However, the process lacks surface integrity. This leads to the need for post-processing the printed parts in order to effectively utilise the process. The present paper investigates the effect of treating the FFF specimens by the solvent and heat treatment route. The methodology utilises a controlled exposure of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) parts to nanomaterial mixed solvent. The effect of post-treatment on surface roughness and surface hardness was investigated. It was found that treating the 3D parts by the proposed methodology can effectively reduce the surface roughness and increase its hardness. This can aid in broadening the application domain of the FFF processed parts.

KEYWORDS:

• Fused filament fabrication
• 3D printing
• nanoclay
• layered silicate
• chemical treatment
• 3D printing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).