Bin Xia: Rheology of Particulate Suspensions in 3-D Printing

Multi-functional 3-D printing has been developing quickly and is playing an increasingly vital role in manufacturing technologies. To satisfy the requirements of different functionalities, particulate composites have been widely utilized in this area. These types of materials are usually formulated with different functional particles and matrix materials such as polymer melts and silicone. The materials are particulate suspensions during formulation and printing, and their rheology is a key factor for the processing. This work will concentrate on the suspension rheology in capillaries scaled appropriately for 3-D printing applications (around 1 mm ID). The impact of particle volume fraction and the ratio of the capillary ID to the particle size were analyzed both theoretically and experimentally. Using the results of this investigation, the 3-D printing process based on particulate composites can be optimized, defects can be avoided, its efficiency and quality can also be improved.