Effect of cryogenic treatment on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed polylactic acid part

Abstract

The article investigates the effect of cryogenic treatment on the 3-D printed Polylactic Acid (PLA) specimen. It was found that exposure of PLA specimens to the cryogenic temperature (10 K) using a cryocooler led to a 35 % increase in tensile strength in 5 h, with most improvement occurring within the first hour. The cryogenic treatment enhanced the PLA specimen’s strength and ductility due to increased crystallinity and better molecular alignment. It is likely due to the interaction of the cooling medium (helium) used in the cryocooler with the PLA specimens. Towards this, EDS analysis is performed on cryo-treated PLA specimens. The EDS analysis reveals that nickel and iron compounds were detected on the surface of the cryogenic-treated PLA specimen. These findings highlight that cryogenic treatment significantly improves PLA specimen’s mechanical properties and tensile strength. However, challenges arise, including delamination-layer separation caused by internal stresses, and must be addressed. This work will be helpful for researchers working in polymer 3-D printing.