Comparative characterization of the viscoelastic properties of additive manufacturing polymers

The recent availability of a wide range of additively manufactured materials has facilitated the translation from prototype-limited to application-ready 3D printed components. As such, additively manufactured materials deployed in dynamic environments require extensive characterization to elucidate and optimize performance. This research evaluates the dynamic response of fused filament fabrication and vat photopolymerization printed polymers as a function of temperature. Dynamic mechanical analysis is used to extract the viscoelastic properties of several generations of samples exhibiting a range of thermomechanical behavior, highlighting the stiffness and damping characteristics. A modified stiffness–temperature model supports the experimental characterization and provides additional insight concerning the molecular motion occurring over each thermal transition. The insights from the analysis were collated into a case study that leverages their dynamic characteristics in a multimaterial application. The outcomes from this research assimilate a framework that defines the temperature operating range and broadens the design envelope for these additive manufacturing materials.