Comparison of the Mechanical Properties of PCL-Based Fiber Composites Fabricated by Fused Deposition Modeling and Injection Molding

Abstract

Polycaprolactone (PCL), a synthetic aliphatic polyester, has gained prominence in the realm of biocomposites due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, and relatively low melting point. To further enhance the mechanical properties of PCL, natural fibers like bleached kraft eucalyptus pulp (BKEP) have been incorporated with PCL. This study measures and presents a comparative analysis of the mechanical properties of PCL/BKEP samples fabricated by fused deposition modeling (FDM) and injection molding (IM). Commercial BKEP was compounded with PCL at varying fiber contents ranging from 0 to 30 weight percentage (wt%). The resulting composites were characterized in terms of tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus comparing FDM and IM techniques. The findings demonstrate that IM yielded superior tensile strength values for PCL/BKEP with fiber contents exceeding 20 wt% compared to FDM. At 30 wt% fiber content, IM exhibited a 17% and a 50% increase in tensile strength compared to their FDM counterparts. At 10 wt% fiber content, FDM biocomposites demonstrated a 21% and 9% enhancement in tensile strength and Young’s modulus, respectively, compared to IM counterparts. The choice between FDM and IM for fabricating PCL/BKEP depends on the desired fiber content and mechanical properties. IM is more suitable for producing high-fiber-content composites, while FDM excels for low-fiber-content composites with improved tensile strength and Young’s modulus.