Fabrication and Properties of Wood-Polylactic Acid Composite Filaments for Fused Deposition Modeling 3D Printing

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an emerging technology that is transforming manufacturing technology due to its unique advantages such as freeform fabrication, sustainability, and efficient manufacturing. In this study, we developed a wood flour (WF)/polylactic acid (PLA) composite filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing and analyzed its composite properties. Results showed that the tensile strength of the WF/PLA composite was considerably less than that of neat PLA. By adding 10 wt% of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as a toughening agent, the elongation-at-break value of the WF/PLA composite was greater than that of neat PLA. This shows that the toughening agent could increase the ductility of the WF/PLA composite, leading to a better printing experience. We found a significant relationship among extrusion temperatures and dimensional stability of printed objects, whereas the surface roughness of specimens increased as the extrusion temperatures increased. A higher infill rate and greater extrusion layer height were both shown to give the printed object better dimensional stability. © 2022 Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. All rights reserved.