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Additively manufactured carbon fiber-reinforced composites: State of the art and perspective

Journal Article · · Additive Manufacturing
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [4];  [3]
  1. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  3. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
  4. Air Force Research Lab. (AFRL), Kirtland AFB, NM (United States)
While polymer additive manufacturing (AM) has advanced significantly over the past few decades, the limitations in material properties, speed of manufacture, and part size have relegated this technology to the space of rapid prototyping rather than the legitimate manufacture of end-use parts. Carbon fiber offers a low density, a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and high thermal conductivity and is an ideal material for bringing polymer-based AM from the realm of form and fit to that of form, fit, and function. The use of carbon fiber in AM can improve material properties, reduce the time required to manufacture functional parts compared with traditional subtractive technologies, and reduce warping, thereby enabling a larger possible build envelope. Therefore, the addition of carbon fiber to various AM technologies is of increasing interest in academic and industrial communities. This paper examines the work performed in this fast-growing area to date. Specifically, the effects of fiber reinforcement on the structure and mechanical properties of 3D printed parts are investigated within the body of literature. Upper bounds for tensile properties of carbon fiber composites are theoretically evaluated and compared with experimentally measured values. Moreover, current and potential applications of additively manufactured carbon fiber composites in the context of desktop 3D printing and big area AM are discussed. Recent innovations and industry breakthroughs in this field are also examined. This review is intended to organize and synthesize the present body of work surrounding AM of carbon fiber reinforced plastics, identify the most promising technologies, and prescribe viable research and development paths forward to advance AM from the application space of rapid prototyping to that of functional, load-bearing, end-use parts.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1649586
Journal Information:
Additive Manufacturing, Journal Name: Additive Manufacturing Journal Issue: N/A Vol. 31; ISSN 2214-8604
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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