Effect of printing layer thickness on water absorption and mechanical properties of 3D-printed wood/PLA composite materials

Effect of printing layer thickness on technological properties of 3D-printed specimens fabricated from wood flour/PLA filaments having a diameter of 1.75 mm was investigated. For this aim, four different printing layers, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.3 mm, were used in the production of the 3D-printed specimens. The water absorption of the specimens (28 days immersion in water) increased with increasing printing layer thickness while the thickness swelling decreased. The tensile and bending properties of the specimens significantly improved with decreasing printing layer thickness. The increase in the layer thickness caused bigger gaps, which increased the porosity in the cross section of the specimen. Higher porosity resulted in lower mechanical properties.