Improving mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion in 3D printed parts has been a recent focus for additive manufacturing research.  The Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) utilizes several additive manufacturing methods for both production of parts and development for future production needs. Polymer grafted nanoparticles as additives in fused deposition modeling (FDM) filaments have been shown to increase mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion in printed parts. A batch process to activate the surface of silica nanoparticles and graft through with polymer chains has been previously developed. Batch processes can be limited in scale up as well as posing safety concerns when working at larger scales. Microreactors can address both scale up and safety concerns. Microreactors utilize flow chemistry to combine reactants in narrow channels and promote rapid mixing via diffusion.  Therefore KCNSC developed a method to manufacture polymer grafted nanoparticles in a safe and efficient manner using microreactor synthesis.

Synthesis of polymer grafted nanoparticles via flow chemistry

ACS Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.