Advancing Structural Integrity: Graphene Nanocomposites via Vat Photopolymerization 3D Printing

This work examines the utilization of vat photopolymerization (VPP) based digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to manufacture a novel, high-strength, and coupling agent-enhanced graphene nanocomposite. The incorporation of graphene, known for its exceptional mechanical properties, aims to improve the strength of 3D printed components. The research methodology involves the formulation of graphene-based resins with different graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) contents varying from 0.025 wt.% to 0.2 wt.%. Key processing parameters like printing layer thickness and exposure time were varied to identify the optimal parameters of the printing process. Moreover, various post-print baking temperatures and durations were examined for the graphene/polymer composites. Mechanical testing and comparative assessments evaluate mechanical properties like tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and elongation at break. The findings indicate that adding 0.05 wt.% coupling agent enhanced graphene concentration to the polymer, which is a polyamide-like resin, resulted in a notable enhancement in both the ultimate tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the composite by 45.1 % and 43.5 %, respectively. The findings demonstrate the feasibility and potential advantages of utilizing graphene in 3D printed parts, showcasing promising avenues to create lightweight, robust, custom-designed structural applications.