Date Approved
9-16-2021
Embargo Period
9-17-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. Chemical Engineering
Department
Chemical Engineering
College
Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering
Sponsor
U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command- Army Research Laboratory
Advisor
Joseph F. Stanzione III, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Nicholas J. Alvarez, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Francis (Mac) Haas, Ph.D.
Committee Member 3
James A. Newell, Ph.D.
Keywords
3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing, Digital Light Projection, Stereolithography
Subject(s)
Three-dimensional printing; Vat photopolymerization
Disciplines
Chemical Engineering
Abstract
This work seeks to improve upon the existing state-of-the-art for vat photopolymerization additive manufacturing; namely, producing in-situ composites that combine the precision and high-performance materials of the vat photopolymerization with the strength of fiber-reinforced polymer composites. A custom-designed digital light projection printer was designed and built for printing composites, which includes an automated fiber tape system to place woven E-glass fiber mats in-situ. To validate the performance improvement of composites versus the neat matrix, composites were fabricated on the custom printer with hand-placed fiber mats. A high-performance, dual-cure resin was used for these studies. The effect of layer height on matrix properties was evaluated, and there was no statistically significant difference in glass transition temperature (Tg) or glassy storage modulus (E') at 25°C as a function of layer height. It was found that composites exhibited up to a 25% improvement in E' relative to the matrix (2.9 versus 3.7 GPa) at a fiber volume fraction of 4-6% and a layer height of 200 micro-m. All composites exhibited a slightly lower Tg relative to the matrix (105 versus 115°C), but there is a minimal loss of thermal properties in the composites and a modest improvement in storage modulus, even with low fiber fraction. These results suggest that parts produced with the custom printer have the potential for high-strength military applications.
Recommended Citation
Gillan, Margaret Anne, "DESIGN OF A CUSTOM DIGITAL LIGHT PROJECTION PRINTER FOR IN-SITU PRODUCTION OF COMPOSITES WITH IMPROVED THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES" (2021). Theses and Dissertations. 2945.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/2945
