Experimental and Modeling Investigation of Interfacial Effects on the Mechanical Properties of Iron‐Oxide‐Particle‐Reinforced Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene Composites for Extrusion‐Based Additive Manufacturing

ABSTRACT Waste iron oxide particles generated during steelmaking were proposed as promising reinforcements for enhancing the mechanical properties of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS)‐based composite filaments for extrusion‐based additive manufacturing. The surface chemical states and filler–matrix interfacial bonding in a 1.0 vol% iron oxide/ABS composite were investigated using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The phase composition and degree of crystallinity of the 3D‐printed composites under different tensile loads were examined using synchrotron wide‐angle X‐ray scattering. Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 phases were detected, and their particles were primarily bonded to the ABS matrix through C–O–H groups. The crystallinity degree of the ABS‐based composite decreased with increasing tensile stress and was accompanied by reduced interfacial bonding. Nanoindentation measurements were performed to determine the interfacial stress around the irregular iron oxide particles. The local stress near the particles was approximately 7% higher than that in the polymer matrix, improving the tensile strength and hardness of the ABS‐based composite. Micromechanical models based on the 3D finite element method were developed to predict stress near the filler particles. The predicted interfacial stresses increased by approximately 20% and 13% when particle size and angularity were doubled, respectively, and high stress concentrations occurred at the iron oxide–matrix interfaces.