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On the 3D printing of polypropylene and post-processing optimization of thermomechanical properties

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Abstract

Polypropylene (PP) is a highly desirable polyolefin in various plastic industries due to its outstanding thermomechanical properties and chemical resistance. Therefore, the 3D printing of PP is an interesting avenue to explore in digitized manufacturing, where more freedom in structural designs is available for new and extended applications, such as high-performance engineering parts. In this work, we 3D printed PP and studied the effect of printing parameters and post-processing conditions on the printed polymer’s thermomechanical behavior. Results showed that nozzle and bed temperatures of 220 and 100°C produced a high printing quality. Infill percentages between 80 and 90%, coupled with a 4-h annealing at 110ºC, also resulted in optimal printed properties. It is thought that PP can be potentially blended with polyethylene or other vinyl polymers for a more extended 3D printing utility and practical applications in rapid tooling and prototyping.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from the Governor’s Chair Funds, the University of Tennessee System, and the Center for Materials Processing (CMP)-TCE. Technical support from Malvern Panalytical, Frontier Laboratories and Quantum Analytics are also acknowledged. Work (or part of this work) was conducted by ORNL’s Center for Nanophase Materials and Sciences by RCA, a US Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility.

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Author notes

  1. Melanie Moczadlo and Qiyi Chen have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Melanie Moczadlo, Zane J. Smith & Rigoberto C. Advincula

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Melanie Moczadlo, Zane J. Smith & Rigoberto C. Advincula

  3. Center for Nanophase Materials and Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA

    Qiyi Chen & Rigoberto C. Advincula

  4. Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA

    Xiang Cheng & Rigoberto C. Advincula

  5. Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, 58102, USA

    Eugene B. Caldona

Authors
  1. Melanie Moczadlo
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  2. Qiyi Chen
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  3. Xiang Cheng
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  6. Rigoberto C. Advincula
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Correspondence to Rigoberto C. Advincula.

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Moczadlo, M., Chen, Q., Cheng, X. et al. On the 3D printing of polypropylene and post-processing optimization of thermomechanical properties. MRS Communications 13, 169–176 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-023-00329-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-023-00329-2

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