Hybrid metal/thermoplastic composites for FDM-type additive manufacturing

Hybrid material systems, where two materials with similar melting temperatures are combined to form a new compound, represent a possible avenue to expand the materials palette available for 3-D printing platforms such as fused deposition modeling (FDM (TM)). In general, the morphology of filler materials in thermoplastic composites is unchanged before and after combining with a polymer matrix. However, the processing of hybrid material systems in FDM (TM)-type processing allows for the possibility of manipulating the morphology of the filler material. The work presented here demonstrates the development of three different hybrid (polymer-metal) blends for 3-D printing platforms based on FDM (TM) technology. Tin-bismuth (SnBi) alloy powder was combined with three thermoplastic materials: (1) acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), (2) polylactic acid, and (3) a polymer blend composed of ABS and styrene ethylene butylene styrene containing a maleic anhydride graft (SEBS-g-MA). A notable feature observed through the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was the drawing of the spherical SnBi particles into wires, leading to an in situ reinforcement. The efficacy of a silane functionalization process was also noted, though the material processing temperatures were well above the melting temperature of the SnBi particles.

Automated summary

Hybrid material systems combine two materials with similar melting temperatures to form a new compound, expanding the materials palette for 3-D printing platforms. Through scanning electron microscopy, the stretching of tin-bismuth alloy powder particles into wires was observed, achieving in situ reinforcement.