Effect of Annealing Time and Temperature on Dynamic Mechanical Properties of FDM Printed PLA

Abstract

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a widely used additive manufacturing (AM) process due to simple operation, relatively low cost and wide range of available material options. Commonly used feedstock materials in FDM are petroleum-based polymers. These polymers significantly influence the environment in terms of CO2 and plastic waste addition. To minimize these effects, understanding the bio-based and biodegradable polymers for engineering applications are essential. PolyLactic Acid (PLA) is a bio-based, biodegradable, biocompatible and recyclable thermoplastic polymer used in engineering and medical application. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) is an experimental technique used to analyze the polymers’ viscoelastic behaviour with varied temperature, frequency, and stress/strain. Post-processing heat treatment processes, including annealing, can influence mechanical properties of the processed polymer parts. Improved crystallinity, Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) and increased glass transition temperature (Tg) are a few advantages of annealing thermoplastic polymers. Annealing process parameters like temperature, time, and cooling rates can significantly affect the various mechanical properties gained through the annealing process. The dynamic mechanical properties, such as storage modulus, loss modulus, and damping factor, are also affected by annealing. The effect of annealing parameters on dynamic mechanical properties of FDM printed PLA is studied and reported.