Assessing the mechanical and energy absorption capabilities of lattice structures of F-RD and Fischer–Koch S triply periodic minimal surfaces

Abstract Lattice structures are lightweight, highly energy-absorbing, and have great thermal and acoustic insulation qualities. As a result, they have a high potential for use in the biomedical, safety, aerospace, and heat dissipation industries. The current research aims to study the mechanical performance and energy absorption levels of additively manufactured F-RD and Fischer–Koch S uniform lattice structures under compressive load and compare the results to their functionally graded counterparts. Sixteen triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) samples were 3D printed using the masked stereolithography (MSLA) technique. Then, printing quality was assessed using a digital optical microscope. The samples were mechanically tested according to the ISO 13314 Standard. The resulting mechanical properties of relative modulus, first maximum compressive strength, plateau stress, and energy absorption were thoroughly compared between the four types. Graded Fischer–Koch S showed improved mechanical properties, followed by uniform Fischer–Koch S, and finally by graded and uniform F-RD. Regarding energy absorption, graded samples exhibited better results than uniform samples for each type. The results showed that Fischer–Koch S graded samples exhibited better performance, demonstrating their suitability as potential candidates for energy absorption applications.