Mechanical Properties of Short Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymers Made by Casted and 3D Printing Methods: A Comparative Study

• Published in: Materials Vol. 13; no. 3; p. 579
• Main Authors: Korniejenko, Kinga, Łach, Michał, Chou, Shih-Yu, Lin, Wei-Ting, Cheng, An, Hebdowska-Krupa, Maria, Gądek, Szymon, Mikuła, Janusz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 26.01.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: 3-D printers; 3d printing; Additive manufacturing; Aqueous solutions; By products; carbon fiber; Carbon fibers; Caustic soda; Cement; Comparative studies; Compressive strength; Ductility; Fiber composites; Flax; flax fiber; Flexural strength; Fly ash; fly ash-based geopolymer; Geopolymers; Mechanical properties; Polyvinyl alcohol; short fiber; Short fibers; Silica; Sodium; Tensile strength; Textile fibers; Three dimensional printing; Poland; flax fiber; short fiber; additive manufacturing; carbon fiber; 3D printing; fly ash-based geopolymer
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma13030579

The main objective of this article is to develop ceramic-based materials for additive layer manufacturing (3D printing technology) that are suitable for civil engineering applications. This article is focused on fly ash-based fiber-reinforced geopolymer composites. It is based on experimental research, especially research comparing mechanical properties, such as compressive and flexural strength for designed compositions. The comparison includes various composites (short fiber-reinforced geopolymers and plain samples), different times of curing (investigation after 7 and 28 days), and two technologies of manufacturing (casted and injected samples-simulations of the 3D printing process). The geopolymer matrix is based on class F fly ash. The reinforcements were green tow flax and carbon fibers. The achieved results show that the mechanical properties of the new composites made by injection methods (simulations of 3D technology) are comparable with those of the traditional casting process. This article also discusses the influence of fiber on the mechanical properties of the composites. It shows that the addition of short fibers could have a similar influence on both of the technologies.