Session: 16-01-07: Polymers and Composites II

Paper Number: 165930

Optimizing the Tribological Properties of 3D-Printed PETG/PTFE Composites 

The adoption of 3D printing as a manufacturing method has been growing across various industries. While significant research has focused on optimizing the mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts, limited studies have investigated the enhancement of tribological properties, including friction and wear. Tribologically optimized 3D prints have numerous applications, such as prosthetics, where components experience constant dry sliding and rolling contact. Improving the friction and wear properties of 3D-printed materials can enhance performance, reduce operating costs, and extend the longevity of components.

This study examines the tribological and mechanical performance of a 3D-printed composite material composed of 90% polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) and 10% polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This material was selected due to its potential to reduce the coefficient of friction by providing a smoother surface finish, making it ideal for components such as gears, prosthetics, and other sliding elements. Additionally, PETG/PTFE offers excellent durability, chemical resistance, and heat tolerance up to 70°C, ensuring long-lasting performance.

The experimental investigation focused on the effects of printing parameters—specifically, wall count and top surface line width—on the coefficient of friction of 3D-printed samples. Disk and ball samples were fabricated using a Bambu Lab X1 Carbon 3D printer with wall counts of 1 and 4 and top surface line widths of 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, and 0.6 mm. Tribological testing was conducted using a PSC Instruments MTM machine, a ball-on-disk tribometer that measures the frictional properties of lubricated and unlubricated contacts under various rolling and sliding conditions.

To further understand the material properties and establish a link between tribological performance and structural integrity, tensile testing was conducted on the 3D-printed PETG/PTFE samples. The uniaxial tensile tests provided insight into the mechanical strength and failure mechanisms of the composite material. Understanding the correlation between tribological and tensile properties is critical in assessing the material’s viability for applications that require both low friction and adequate load-bearing capacity.

It was hypothesized that increasing the wall count and decreasing the top surface line width would lead to a lower coefficient of friction. However, experimental results indicated that while top surface line width had no significant impact on the coefficient of friction, wall count did. Samples with a wall count of 1 exhibited a lower coefficient of friction compared to those with a wall count of 4. This outcome is attributed to the increased surface irregularities caused by multiple outer walls, leading to higher frictional resistance. Additionally, the tensile tests revealed that increasing the wall count improved mechanical strength, highlighting a tradeoff between optimizing tribological performance and ensuring structural integrity.

In conclusion, this study demonstrates that while top surface line width does not influence the coefficient of friction of 3D-printed PETG/PTFE materials, reducing the wall count can enhance tribological performance. However, a lower wall count may also reduce mechanical strength. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing 3D printing parameters for applications requiring low-friction components while maintaining sufficient structural durability.

Presenting Author: Nathan Hryniewicz Newark Charter Senior High School

Presenting Author Biography: Nathan Hryniewicz is a research student studying at Newark Charter Senior high school.

Authors:

Nathan Hryniewicz Newark Charter Senior High School
Jai Kadam Widener University
Mateus Da Silva Cardoso University of Pennsylvania
Boston Blake Widener University
Babak Eslami Widener University