Fabrication and characteristics of flexible thermoplastic polyurethane filament for fused deposition modeling three‐dimensional printing

• Published in: Polymer engineering and science Vol. 62; no. 9; pp. 2947 - 2957
• Main Authors: Shin, Eun Joo, Park, Yuyoung, Jung, Yang Sook, Choi, Hyeong Yeol, Lee, Sunhee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.09.2022; Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: 3D printing; Actuator materials; Artificial intelligence; auxetic re‐entrant; Deposition; Extrusion; filament forming; Filaments; Fused deposition modeling; Mechanical properties; Methods; Pellets; Polyurethane resins; Polyurethanes; Production processes; Properties; Rheological properties; thermoplastic polyurethane; Three dimensional models; Three dimensional printing; Urethane thermoplastic elastomers; South Korea
• ISSN: 0032-3888; 1548-2634
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.26075

In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), materials with soft and strong properties are becoming increasingly important. Various three‐dimensional (3D) fused deposition modeling (FDM) filaments have been developed as soft actuator materials. In the present study, a soft actuator‐grade thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was developed and then processed into a filament for FDM 3D printers during a melt‐extrusion process using commercial (65, 75, 80, and 85 Shore A) pellets. Rheological, chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the manufactured TPU filaments were characterized. Auxetic re‐entrant TPU samples were then printed with the manufactured filament. Results showed that the 75 Shore A pellet was the most suitable for auxetic re‐entrant FDM 3D printing. In the present study, a soft actuator‐grade thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was developed and then processed into a filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM) three‐dimensional (3D) printers during a melt‐extrusion process using commercial (65, 75, 80, and 85 Shore A) pellets. Chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the manufactured TPU filaments were characterized. Auxetic re‐entrant TPU samples were then printed with the manufactured filament.