Browsing by Subject "fiber length"

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Correlating Large-Format AM Print Parameters to Fiber Length and Mechanical Performance of Reinforced Polymer Composites
(University of Texas at Austin, 2021) Rhodes, Andrew; Walker, Roo; Smith, Tyler; Lindahl, John; Kunc, Vlastimil; Duty, Chad
This paper aims to correlate processing conditions to fiber length and mechanical properties in fiber-reinforced composites on the Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The processing of fiber-reinforced composites has a significant influence on their microstructure, which dictates the properties of the final product. The effect of processing is poorly documented in systems like the BAAM, leaving significant opportunities to improve the mechanical performance of printed structures. In this work, fiber length distributions from pelletized feedstock were compared against those of specimens extruded under different processing speeds. The mechanical strength of each specimen was evaluated to correlate processing speed to fiber length and mechanical properties. Experimental results showed that fiber length decreases slightly with increasing screw speed. Mechanical performance was not found to be affected by the decrease in fiber length. This research will guide future modifications to hardware design and print parameters to maintain fiber length and maximize mechanical performance.