Blending and functionalisation modification of 3D printed polylactic acid for fused deposition modeling

Abstract

Polylactic acid (PLA) is extensively used as a raw material in fused deposition modeling (FDM)-based three-dimensional printing (3DP), owing to its abundant resources, simple production processes, decent biodegradability, and adequate mechanical strength. However, it has disadvantages such as poor toughness and straightforward bending deformation. Given the considerable application potential of PLA materials in FDM-based 3DP technology, herein, studies conducted over the last 5 years toward the enhancement of the characteristics of PLA for FDM are summarized. In particular, modification approaches (chemical or physical methods) that have been employed to improve the mechanical and processing attributes of PLA are discussed, along with the development of PLA composites with unique functionalities. The insights provided herein can help expand the scope of application of PLA composites in FDM-based 3DP for utilization in fields such as transportation, aerospace engineering, industrial equipment fabrication, consumer/electronic product manufacturing, and biomedicine/medicine.

Flexural Properties and Failure Mechanisms of Short-Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composite Modified with MXene and GO

“…Recently, polylactic acid (PLA), which is a new type of biodegradable thermoplastic made from starch derived from renewable plant sources, has attracted great attention [ 5 , 6 ]. The thermomechanical properties of PLA are excellent, with a tensile strength of about 50 MPa, melting point of 180 °C and glass transition temperature of 60 °C [ 7 ]. However, there are some disadvantages of PLA, such as poor processability, low impact strength and low heat distortion temperature [ 8 ].…”