Enhancing the strength and toughness of polylactic acid through fused deposition modeling‐induced orientation and nucleation effects of attapulgite

Abstract

Simultaneously enhancing strength and toughness through simple and low‐cost methods has always been a challenge for polylactic acid (PLA) materials. In this context, natural attapulgite (ATT) nanorods were used as fillers combined with fused deposition modeling (FDM) to improve the strength and toughness of PLA. The printable PLA nanocomposite filaments filled with ATT nanorods were prepared by melting compounding and smoothly printed via a commercial FDM three‐dimensional (3D) printer. The influences of FDM process and ATT filling on the properties of PLA/ATT composite parts were evaluated through microstructure analysis, rheological, and mechanical tests. The results suggest that PLA/ATT composite parts manufactured by FDM exhibit superior mechanical properties, which can be attributed to the FDM induced orientation and nucleation effect of ATT nanorods. The tensile strength can reach 56 MPa with the addition of 2 wt% ATT at a nozzle temperature of 205°C, increasing by 24% compared to pure PLA. In addition, the fracture elongation of PLA/ATT parts printed by FDM has significantly increased to 26%, which is 924% higher than pure PLA. Furthermore, the filling of ATT significantly improves the storage modulus of composite parts. This work provides a new high‐strength, ultra tough, low‐cost, and printing stable PLA/ATT composite material and forming method, offering a promising avenue for the wider application of PLA and ATT in the future.