2023 Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium (SFF Symp 2023): Composites
Program Organizers: Joseph Beaman, University of Texas at Austin
Monday 1:30 PM
August 14, 2023
Room: Salon G
Location: Hilton Austin
Session Chair: Xinyi Xiao, University of North Texas
1:30 PM
3D Metal Nanoparticle-polymer Composites: Strategies for Integrating Metal Nanoparticles with Two-photon Polymerization Process: Jisun Im1; Yaan Liu2; Qin Hu3; Gustavo Trindade4; Christopher Parmenter1; Michael Fay1; Yinfeng He3; Derek Irvine3; Christopher Tuck3; Ricky Wildman3; Richard Hague3; Lyudmila Turyanska3; Geoffrey Rivers1; 1University of Nottingham; 2University of Exeter; 3Centre for Additive Manufacturing/University of Nottingham; 4National Physical Laboratory
Integration of metal nanoparticles (MeNPs) into three-dimensional (3D) micro/nanoscale structures without disturbing the quality and resolution of two photon polymerization (2PP) processes has attracted considerable attention in various applications including nanophotonics, micro-electrochemical systems, microelectronics, and tissue engineering and drug delivery. Here we report three complementary strategies for integration of MeNPs with 2PP process: in-situ formation of MeNPs through a single-step photoreduction process, integration of pre-formed MeNPs into 2PP resin, and site-selective MeNPs decoration of 3D 2PP structures. We demonstrate successful fabrication of high-fidelity structures with incorporated MeNPs and provide detailed morphological and compositional analysis including advanced time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) mapping results. These complementary strategies open up a broad range of prospective applications from metamaterials and nano/micro-photonics to optoelectronics and biomedicine.
1:50 PM
Cyber-informed Additively Manufactured Functionally Graded Materials and Structures: Xinyi Xiao1; 1Miami University
Functionally Graded Materials and Structures (FGMS) are a class of materials with spatial variation in either form of volume or composition, contributing to corresponding property response changes in line with the volumetric/composition gradient. The multi-functional property of a component is tailed through the heterogeneous material allocation at a micro-mesoscale to meet an intended performance requirement. One of the main advantages that micro-mesoscale graded materials/structures gains can contribute to the smooth transition within the overall component property. The move towards graded material and structure design has been “brewing” for some time. By strategically controlling the composition and volumetric density of heterogeneous material deposition in a complex 3D distribution, AM provides huge design opportunities to push manufacturing towards FGMS development. This project aims to develop a novel holistic framework for comprehensively characterizing Functionally Graded Materials and Structures from design to property through intelligently searching and informing from a model-process-performance database.
2:10 PM
Engineering Hydrophobic Stainless Steel Nanocomposites: Troy Ansell1; Michael O'Donnell1; Justin Budan1; John McGuire2; Prajna Jalagam3; 1Naval Postgraduate School; 2Johns Hopkins University; 3Brown University
316L stainless steel powder was milled with either carbon nanotubes (CNT) or graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) via high energy ball milling. The composite powders were then printed in simple square pieces or with a pillared surface geometry by selective laser melting. Contact angle measurements with the printed surface of both CNT and GNP composite square pieces revealed increasingly hydrophobic behavior. Low nanoparticle loading exhibited hydrophilic behavior but when CNTs exceeded 3 vol% and GNPs exceeded 2 vol%, contact angles of greater than 90 deg, i.e., hydrophobicity, was measured. When a water droplets were deposited on pillared samples, a wicking effect was observed where the surface would support a water droplet for up to tens of minutes before dropping to the substrate. Trends indicate that further increasing CNT concentration, adjusting laser energy density, and changing model specifications could lead to greater hydrophobic effects.
2:30 PM
Developing Additively Manufactured Iron Powder-filled PLA Composites: Joji Jeevan Kumar Dasari1; Orkhan Huseynov1; Ismail Fidan1; Mustafa Rajabali1; 1Tennessee Technological University
The Low-Cost Metal Material Extrusion (LCMMEX) process has gained attention in recent years to produce metallic parts with complex designs. High Iron concentration composite materials have been extensively researched to improve their properties and functionality for advanced manufacturing applications. This study aims to develop knowledge blocks for producing Composite parts with high iron percentages and analyze their mechanical, magnetic, and thermal properties and their sintering behavior based on print parameters. A rectangular sample is manufactured using the Material Extrusion (MEX) process by varying layer height, infill density, and print speed. The results show that sintering significantly affects the change in surface roughness, weight, and dimensional accuracy of the printed parts. Furthermore, an increase in the infill percentage leads to a significant increase in magnetic flux. This research provides insights into the influence of print parameters and sintering on the properties of High-Iron filled composite parts, ideal for high-density applications.
2:50 PM Cancelled
Additive Manufacturing of Polymer Composite Tooling: Kazi Md Masum Billah1; Mario Barron Gonzalez1; Ricardo Arechiga De La Rosa1; Youssef K Hamidi1; 1University of Houston Clear Lake
Polymer composite materials are made by combining multiple materials to achieve improved properties including mechanical, electrical, and thermal compared to the constituents or parent materials. In the polymer-based composite manufacturing process chain, tooling is an integral component. Exploration of design freedom is paramount to add agility and complex shape composite manufacturing tools. This research uniquely proposed the methodology of composite tooling. We designed complex and nonplanner-shaped composite molds to fabricate fiber-reinforced composite parts. Material extrusion 3D printing technology was used to fabricate molds. The most commonly used thermoplastic ABS was used in a desktop-scale 3D printer to fabricate a variety of molds. After fabrication of the molds, surface finishing and resign infiltration was performed to make sure sealed tooling part manufacturing. The 3D printed mold was then used in composite layup applications when fiber-reinforced composites were manufactured.
3:10 PM Break
3:40 PM
Assessing the Impact of the Powder Production Method on Ceramic-filled Polyamide 613 Composites Made by Laser Sintering: Ivo Kletetzka1; Fabian Neitzel1; Hans-Joachim Schmid1; 1Paderborn University (DMRC)
Polymer composites represent the industry standard in injection molding for the production of plastic components with increased requirements in terms of heat resistance and stiffness. In the field of laser sintering (LS), these materials are less common so far. In order to extend the available material variety for the LS process, ceramic-filled Polyamide 613 powders are produced and processed within the scope of this work. Here, the resulting properties from two different powder production methods are compared. One filled powder is produced by dry blending and the other powder with the same filler and filling ratio is produced by encapsulating the filler particles inside the polymer particles within the dissolution precipitation process. It was found, that encapsulating the filler particles can provide certain benefits for the processability, for example an improved powder flowability or better filler dispersion. However, encapsulating the filler also alters the thermal properties of the precipitated powder.
4:00 PM
Additive Manufacturing of Shape-conforming Battery Components from Lunar and Martian Soil: Alexis Maurel1; Ana C. Martinez1; Sina Bakhtar Chavari2; Bharat Yelamanchi2; Cameroun Sherrard3; Pedro Cortes2; Eric MacDonald1; 1University of Texas at El Paso; 2Youngstown State University; 3NASA MSFC
Vat photopolymerization (VPP) 3D printing enables the manufacturing of customized and shape-conformable energy storage devices that can be used in various applications, including portable power devices, rovers, and drones, ultimately supporting NASA's human missions in space, on the Moon, and Mars. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries because the Lunar and Martian regolith contain more abundant SIB materials and precursors, making them a viable option for in-situ resource utilization. In this presentation, the development and VPP printing of TiO2-based and hard carbon-based composite photocurable resins will be discussed. The impact of 3D printed negative electrode design and thermal post-processing on the final SIB electrochemical performance and mechanical integrity of the printed items will also be addressed.
4:20 PM
Advancing Sodium-ion Battery Technology for Both Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Applications through 3D Printed Electrolytes: Ana Martinez1; Alexis Maurel1; Eva Schiaffino Bustamante1; Ana Aranzola1; Cameroun Sherrard1; Eric MacDonald1; 1The University of Texas at El Paso
With the growing demand for sustainable batteries that bear higher energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries on Earth and on the space, sodium-ion batteries have emerged as the primary alternative due to the lower toxicity, wider sodium availability, and higher theoretical capacity. In this context, this project explores the 3D printing and testing of the electrolyte-separator component of a conventional sodium-ion battery, here referred to as gel or solid polymer electrolyte due to the use of a photocurable acrylate as polymer matrix. This work will show the optimization of printing parameters and utilization of various battery testing methods to validate the functioning of 3D printed electrolytes in real sodium-ion batteries. This research enhances the current knowledge regarding three-dimensional shape-conformable battery manufacturing, and complements our team’s efforts to 3D print full batteries in the near future.