Thermo-mechanical characterization of additively manufactured ABS/graphite composites

Abstract

In the realm of material extrusion additive manufacturing, components often suffer from low thermal and mechanical characteristics when compared with counterparts produced through traditional methods like injection molding. This study assessed how the incorporation of graphite powder enhances the thermal and mechanical properties of 3D-printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) specimens. Through the strategic addition of graphite in varying weight percentages of 2%, 8%, 14%, and 20% into ABS, composite filaments were produced using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique. The results illustrated that when ABS is combined with 2 wt% graphite, it shows the best results with higher tensile and flexural strengths. With a creative approach, annealing heat treatment was applied to this formulation, bringing about significant improvements of 5.95% and 5.56% in tensile and flexural strengths, respectively, for the annealed ABS-2 wt% graphite composite. Additionally, the study found an interesting pattern. The more graphite content there is, the higher the glass transition temperature; however, the lower the degradation rate of composites. Not only does this inquiry shed light on the potential of graphite-enhanced ABS composites but also paves the way for further advancements in the field of additive manufacturing. Highlights: First-time thermo-mechanical characterization of 3D-printed ABS-graphite. Using the annealing heat treatment to improve the mechanical properties. A comprehensive study on SEM, TGA, and DMTA tests for 3D-printed ABS-graphite. © 2025 Society of Plastics Engineers.