Fabrication and experimental characterizations of smart material filaments (SMFs) for possible future 4D-printing applications

• Published in: Progress in additive manufacturing Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 107 - 122
• Main Authors: Kumar, Pankaj, Dwivedy, Santosha Kumar, Banerjee, Subham
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.02.2024
• Subjects: Engineering; Full Research Article; Lasers; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials Science; Optical Devices; Optics; Photonics; Processes; SMFs; 4D applications; FDM; 3DP
• ISSN: 2363-9512; 2363-9520
• DOI: 10.1007/s40964-023-00467-y

The absence of established quality benchmark experimental characterizations for validating SMFs performance represents a substantial hurdle in the possible development of 4D-printing applications via FDM-mediated 3DP techniques. To address this concern, we successfully fabricated seven different batches of SMFs (B 1 to B 7 ) by altering the PU:S100 ratios through hot-melt extrusion (HME) process at a fixed extrusion temperature (170 °C) and extrusion speed (40 rpm) and characterized them with a thorough qualitative and quantitative strategy for assessing the fabricated SMFs, not only for effective FDM-mediated 3DP processes but also for possible future 4D-printing applications as well. Detailed experimental characterization analyses of the seven different batches of SMFs (B 1 to B 7 ) were systematically performed using DSC, DMA, TGA, 3PBT, tensile test, FTIR, Raman Mapping, XRD, and FE-SEM followed by FDM-mediated 3DP assessment. Through this series of experimental characterizations, it was found that B 4 showed comparatively better solid-state physico-technological properties with stable thermal profiles up to 300 ºC temperature, high mechanical strength, and non-brittleness features. Thus SMFs (B 4) is suitable for further FDM-mediated 3DP process for possible future 4D-printing applications to deliver the drug. Graphical abstract