A new mechanism of mechanical reinforcement for 3D printing CF/PA12 composite based on microwave treatment

Abstract Although 3D printing technology has been widely applied in fabrication of polymer composite, yet, it still exhibits low mechanical performance, restricting its application in structural materials. Herein, a new 3D printing polymer composite composed of carbon fiber and polyamide12 (PA12) is fabricated and subsequently treated by microwave treatment. It is found that the tensile strength and modulus of 3D printing CF/PA12 composite with microwave treatment are improved by 23.8% and 10.2% compared with the original specimen, respectively. Moreover, a new mechanism of mechanical reinforcement is investigated and proposed by nanoindentation and 3D X‐ray computed tomography. The work does not only confirm formation of 3D printing CF/PA12 composite with good mechanical properties, but also proposes a new mechanism of microwave treatment effect on 3D printing polymer composite based on carbon fiber. Highlights A new 3D printing CF/PA12 composite based on microwave treatment is developed. The 3D printing composite exhibits good mechanical properties. A new mechanism of mechanical reinforcement is proposed.