Bending Strength of Continuous Fiber-Reinforced (CFR) Polyamide-Based Composite Additively Manufactured through Material Extrusion

Abstract

This paper shows the three-point bending strength analysis of a composite material consisting of polyamide doped with chopped carbon fiber and reinforced with continuous carbon fiber produced by means of the material extrusion (MEX) additive manufacturing technique. For a comparison, two types of specimens were produced: unreinforced and continuous fiber-reinforced (CFR) with the use of carbon fiber. The specimens were fabricated in two orientations that assure the highest strength properties. Strength analysis was supplemented by additional digital image correlation (DIC) analysis that allowed for the identification of regions with maximum strain within the specimens. The utilization of an optical microscope enabled a fractographic examination of the fracture surfaces of the specimens. The results of this study demonstrated a beneficial effect of continuous carbon fiber reinforcement on both the stiffness and strength of the material, with an increase in flexural strength from 77.34 MPa for the unreinforced composite to 147.03 MPa for the composite reinforced with continuous carbon fiber.