Influence of Ionizing Radiation on Additive Manufacturing of ABS<i></i>

This paper presents an analysis of the behavior of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a material widely used in 3D printing, when exposed to continuous ionizing radiation. Therefore, a detailed investigation of the changes in its mechanical properties is proposed. To this end, specimens specifically designed for each test were created and printed in two different configurations: solid and with 20% infill. The tests aimed to evaluate the material's mechanical response after irradiation, comparing irradiated and non-irradiated samples. Tensile, hardness, compression, ballistic, and density tests were performed. The irradiation stage took place at the Institute of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (IDQBRN), in collaboration with the Military Engineering Institute (IME). The main objective of the research is to evaluate the durability of ABS after a certain period of radiation exposure. The results demonstrate that radiation has a positive influence on the material's mechanical performance, particularly in tensile and compression tests, which showed significant improvements. Hardness, ballistic, and density tests indicated more modest but still significant increases. In summary, this study contributes to the understanding of the effects of ionizing radiation on ABS and highlights potential applications in industrial and commercial settings that require greater mechanical strength.