Additive manufacturing of CNTs/PLA composites and the correlation between microstructure and functional properties

Xing Zhou^a^,^c^,^d, Jingrui Deng^a, Changqing Fang^a^,^*(

), Wanqing Lei^a, Yonghua Song^a, Zisen Zhang^a, Zhigang Huang^b^,^*(

), Yan Li^d

Fig. 2.. SEM micro morphology of PLA and CNTs/PLA composites before and after 3D printing. (a) the pure PLA. (b), (c) CNTs/PLA-1 with CNTs loading of 1 wt% in composite after the extrusion process, the inset image shows individual nanotube dispersed in PLA matrix. (d), (e) CNTs/PLA-1 with CNTs loading of 1 wt% in composite after 3D printing, the inset image shows individual nanotube dispersed in PLA matrix. (f) The digital photo of the 3D printed matter for sample CNTs/PLA-3. (g)-(i) CNTs/PLA-3with CNTs loading of 1 wt% in composite after 3D printing, the inset image in (i) shows the high resolution microstructure and printing layer clearly.