Mechanical and acoustic characterization of bio-based and synthetic materials in FDM 3D printing: Influence of print orientation

The current study describes the creation and characterization of composite materials made in compliance with ASTM requirements using PLA + corn starch, Neem wood + PETG, ABS, and thermoplastic polymers by using additive manufacturing FDM technology. Compression strength, Hardness and sound-isolating properties were the main criteria used to assess these materials' mechanical and acoustic performance. Interestingly, at 4 mm displacement, the Neem Wood + PETG composite showed a maximum force-displacement response of 2 kN. The thermoplastic composite with 50 % infill (Set 2) had the highest compressive strength of all the tested samples, measuring 12.1 kN and 99.43 MPa. The Neem wood + PETG with a force to displacement value of 2 kN and displacement of 4 mm was observed. The highest compressive strength observed in sample 12 (50 % filling of thermoplastic) was 12.1 kN and 99.43 MPa with set 2. The neem wood and PETG combination provides a sound absorption coefficient (SAC) of 0.75 for 40 % filling density, 0.8 for 50 % filling density, and 0.85 for 60 % density. Sound transmission loss (STL) observed in thermoplastic composite material with outcomes of STL for 40 %, 50 %, and 60 % filling has resulted in 11 dB, 19 dB, and 14 dB at 4700–4800 Hz, respectively. These findings point to the developed composites' potential multipurpose uses in the structural and acoustic insulation fields.