Multi-scale modeling and 3D printing of PLA composites reinforced with boron nitride, single-walled carbon nanotube, and graphene oxide

This study explores the mechanical properties and microstructure of 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) reinforced with boron nitride (BN), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), and graphene oxide (GO). Fused deposition modeling (FDM) was employed to fabricate PLA composites with different weight percentages (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6) of each nanomaterial. The mechanical efficacy of PLA composites with 0.6% BN and GO reinforcements were weaker to that of those with 0.6% SWCNT reinforcement, as evidenced by tensile strength testing. The microstructure of the PLA/BN, PLA/SWCNT, and PLA/GO nanocomposites was analyzed using the representative volume element (RVE) method. The material characteristics were accurately anticipated by numerical simulations that utilized RVE results, which were in good agreement with the experimental results. Additionally, the mechanical and physical properties of 3D-printed samples were simulated to further investigate them comprehensively. These results aid in comprehending the impact of nanomaterial reinforcement on the behavior of 3D-printed PLA composites. The research results indicate that PLA reinforced with 0.6 wt% SWCNT exhibits superior mechanical performance in comparison to other nanocomposites. Specifically, the PLA/SWCNT elastic modulus has increased from 4498.27 MPa (C1) to 5685.48 MPa (C3), and the maximum von misses stress of the PLA/SWCNT nanocomposite has increased from 859.4 MPa (C1) to 1087 MPa (C3).