Open AccessHydrolytic Degradation of 3D-Printed Poly (Lactic Acid) Structures
Author(s) -
Logan Mulderrig,
Franchino Chambers,
Taylor A. Isais,
Richard Jeske,
Yan Li,
Justin G. Kennemur,
Daniel T. Hallinan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
sustainable development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2690-9901
pISSN - 2690-9898
DOI - 10.30560/sdr.v3n3p17
Subject(s) - dispersity , degradation (telecommunications) , viscoelasticity , hydrolysis , materials science , ultimate tensile strength , composite material , lactic acid , volume (thermodynamics) , dynamic mechanical analysis , modulus , hydrolytic degradation , dynamic modulus , exponential decay , relaxation (psychology) , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , chemistry , polymer , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , psychology , telecommunications , social psychology , physics , biology , computer science , bacteria , engineering , genetics , nuclear physics
Hydrolytic degradation of commercially available 3D printing filament, i.e. poly (lactic acid) with broad molecular weight distribution was induced by incubating 3D-printed parts in deionized water at 3 temperatures. Small changes in orthogonal dimensions occurred due to relaxation of printing stresses, but no mass or volume loss were detected over the time-frame of the experiments. Molecular weight decreased while polydispersity remained constant. The most sensitive measure of degradation was found to be nondestructive, small-amplitude oscillatory tensile measurements. A rapid decay of tensile storage modulus was found with an exponential decay time constant of about an hour. This work demonstrates that practical monitoring of commercially available PLA degradation can be achieve with linear viscoelastic measurements of modulus.