Feedstock Development for Material Extrusion of Aluminium: Printability and Debinding

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Metal material extrusion (MMEX) is a fabrication method that involves the progressive deposition of metallic materials in distinct layers. This process is followed by debinding and sintering, ultimately resulting in the formation of fully dense metallic structures. The sintering temperature of aluminium (Al) alloys is relatively low, which approaches the degradation temperature of the polymers employed and needs special sintering regimes. Additionally, the binder systems utilized in this rocess must fulfil several criteria, including filament flexibility, appropriate rheological properties, and satisfactory performance during the debinding process. Consequently, the development of an effective binder system that satisfies all these requirements presents significant challenges. In this study, polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) as the backbones along with thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) as the soluble part of the binder system were used in the feedstock. Filaments with a powder loading of 55 vol.% were successfully produced from the feedstocks, and their printability was assessed. Rheological analysis was performed to evaluate the flow characteristics of the feedstocks, ensuring their suitability for the printing process. Additionally, the thermal properties,
including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), were conducted to compare the degradation behaviour of the various binder systems.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication32nd Leoben-Conference on Polymer Engineering and Science
Subtitle of host publicationNew Materials New Perspectives
Place of PublicationLeoben
Pages132
Number of pages1
Volume32
Publication statusPublished - 21 Nov 2024
Event32. Leobener Kunststoffkolloquium - 32nd Leoben-Conference on Polymer Engineering and Science 'New Materials – New Perspectives' - Leoben, Austria
Duration: 21 Nov 202422 Nov 2024

Conference

Conference32. Leobener Kunststoffkolloquium - 32nd Leoben-Conference on Polymer Engineering and Science 'New Materials – New Perspectives'
Country/TerritoryAustria
CityLeoben
Period21/11/2422/11/24