Optimization of Innovative Hybrid Polylactic Acid+ and Glass Fiber Composites: Mechanical, Physical, and Thermal Evaluation of Woven Glass Fiber Reinforcement in Fused Filament Fabrication 3D Printing

The growing demand for complex structures, energy absorption, and mechanically strong materials has led to the exploration of innovative composites. This study focuses on the manufacture, characterization, and evaluation of PLA+ reinforced with woven glass fiber. Using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D Printer technology, the effects of adding woven glass fiber were examined through a tensile test with Digital Image Correlation (DIC)-induced, flexural, Charpy impact resistance, Shore D hardness, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) thermal tester, and SEM morphological tests. Results showed that adding four layers of glass fiber significantly improved mechanical properties: tensile strength increased by 85% to 95.44 MPa, flexural strength by 13% to 91.51 MPa, and impact resistance by 450% to 15.12 kJ/m2. However, a reduction in hardness and thermal resistance was noted due to chemical interactions. These findings suggest potential applications of PLA+ composites in high-strength products for vehicle bumpers in the automotive industry and shin pads in the sports industry.