Study on metal alloy-reinforced polycaprolactone 3D printed composites for electromagnetic protection

The new type of 3D printing consumables is an essential development premise for the diversity of 3D printed products. So, the composites made of metal alloy and flexible polymer were studied to replace the inorganic particle reinforced composites for electromagnetic protective shell products. The comprehensive evaluation of this 3D printed composite is based on rheological test, microscopic observation, element distribution, mechanical analysis, and electromagnetic detection. We found that 2 mm-thick 3D printed sample with a filling rate of 30% reduced the electric field radiation from 281 to 41 V/m. When the filling rate turned to less than 20%, the tensile strength and elongation at break of 3D printed samples were improved. At the same time, the improvement of tensile mechanics and absorbing performance by the unique texture structure of 3D printed samples was also compared and analyzed. In this regard, this paper provides ideas and case products for promoting the diversi-fication and structural design of 3D printed materials.