A novel powder addition method for preparing polylactic acid (PLA)-based composite with fused filament fabrication

Due to their low mechanical strength, the limited applications of fused filament fabrication (FFF)-printed products eventually intrigued researchers to overcome this problem through several approaches. Powder addition reinforcement (PAR) has been recognized as the oldest among the proposed techniques. However, several studies have shown the drawbacks of this technique concerning the poor bond between the printed polymer matrix and powder filler, as well as the nozzle clogging that often occurs during the printing process. In this study, a novel powder addition method using equipment that enables powder delivery with a continuous and intermittent flow was conducted. A composite sample was prepared by printing polylactic acid (PLA) filament combined with iron oxide (Fe3O4) powder particles. The results showed that the printed PLA/Fe3O4 samples obtained from processing with intermittent particle flow had better quality compared to those processed by continuous particle flow. However, both the continuous and intermittent powder addition experienced a negative effect due to rapid cooling caused by air exposure during the printing process. Nonetheless, the novel technique proposed in this study could show the ability to avoid nozzle clogging that might occur during the printing of PLA/Fe3O4 composite samples. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2024.