Assessment of physio-mechanical characteristics of ABS/PETG blended parts fabricated by material extrusion 3D printing

Abstract This study examines the effect of blending acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) in various weight percentage ratios (ABS/PETG: 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60) on the physio-mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts. The result showed that the 3D-printed PETG sample exhibited the highest density of 1.12 ± 0.05 g cm −3 along with the 40ABS60PETG blend displaying similar density value. However, the 40ABS60PETG sample also demonstrated the highest shrinkage, attributed to differences in thermal expansion and cooling rates between ABS and PETG. Moreover, the surface roughness value of the blended samples varied between 8.04 μm–and 9.78 μm, with the 40ABS60PETG sample having a minimal surface roughness of 8.04 ± 0.60 μm. Regarding mechanical performance, the 40ABS60PETG blend showed a notable improvement in flexural modulus, with increases of 6.45% and 60% compared to neat ABS and PETG, respectively. Compression testing revealed that ABS-dominant blends possess higher compression modulus and maximum compressive stress, indicating superior resistance to deformation and enhanced load-bearing capacity. This study highlights the importance of blend ratios to optimize performance, especially for applications requiring a balance between stiffness and flexibility. The results suggest that controlling the ABS/PETG ratio and carefully managing printing parameters can optimize the mechanical and dimensional stability of 3D-printed parts.