3D printing of thermoset composite reinforced with continuous fibers and evaluation of its mechanical properties

There has been a continuous interest in advancing fabrication methods associated with fiber-reinforced composites due to their growing importance across a variety of applications. 3D printing has emerged as a novel approach among these techniques. While short fiber-reinforced composites can be successfully printed, their mechanical properties are often inferior to those of continuous fiber composites. Currently, thermoplastic polymers are commonly used for continuous fiber printing. Despite these drawbacks, thermosetting resins can provide a solution to problems such as low load-bearing capacity, weaker interlayer bonds, and lower strength. In this study, a fused deposition modeling platform was used in order to 3D print thermoset composites reinforced with continuous fibers. Using glass fibers and acrylate resins, single-layer and multilayer composite samples were prepared. Single-layer composites were found to have Young’s modulus of elasticity of 4.74 GPa and a tensile strength of 270.91 MPa, indicating significant results when compared to other research studies. During the bending test for multilayer composites, the stress increases linearly with strain and the main fracture occurs in a brittle manner. A numerical model was also applied to simulate the mechanical behavior of the printed parts. The comparison of experimental and numerical results demonstrated a commendable agreement, thereby validating the method’s effectiveness.