Thermal and Mechanical Characterization of 3D Printed Continuous Fiber Reinforced Composites

Abstract

Additive manufacturing of composite materials is a nascent technology that is being investigated for manufacturing optimized structural composite designs. By combining additive manufacturing of continuous fiber composites with topology optimization, fibers can be steered in the loading direction. Steered fibers allow for decreased weight, decreased manufacturing time, and reduced cost. Realizing the benefit of printed composites enables production of low cost unmanned vehicles at a higher rate with high specificity. Mechanical properties of printed composites, which are needed for design, are measured in this work. Composite properties were comparable to traditionally manufactured composites, especially when normalized by cured ply thickness. Transverse properties were limited by the brittleness of the photopolymer matrix. Matrix cure characteristics and thermal properties were also measured which revealed the high temperature capabilities of the matrix with a Tg of 198°C.