Investigation of the Effectiveness of Silicon Nitride as a Reinforcement Agent for Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol in Material Extrusion 3D Printing

Abstract

Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) were combined to create five composite materials with Si3N4 loadings ranging from 2.0 wt.% to 10.0 wt.%. The goal was to improve the mechanical properties of PETG in material extrusion (MEX) additive manufacturing (AM) and assess the effectiveness of Si3N4 as a reinforcing agent for this particular polymer. The process began with the production of filaments, which were subsequently fed into a 3D printer to create various specimens. The specimens were manufactured according to international standards to ensure their suitability for various tests. The thermal, rheological, mechanical, electrical, and morphological properties of the prepared samples were evaluated. The mechanical performance investigations performed included tensile, flexural, Charpy impact, and microhardness tests. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping were performed to investigate the structures and morphologies of the samples, respectively. Among all the composites tested, the PETG/6.0 wt.% Si3N4 showed the greatest improvement in mechanical properties (with a 24.5% increase in tensile strength compared to unfilled PETG polymer), indicating its potential for use in MEX 3D printing when enhanced mechanical performance is required from the PETG polymer.