Investigating Fast Scanning Calorimetry and Differential Scanning Calorimetry as Screening Tools for Thermoset Polymer Material Compatibility with Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion

Journal Article · 12 January 2025 · ACS Applied Polymer Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.4c03052 · OSTI ID:2506868

Blackman, Malik A. ^[1]; Shofner, Meisha L.  ^[1]; Chatham, Camden A. ^[2]

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1. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
2. Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Aiken, SC (United States)

As additive manufacturing (AM) technology has developed and progressed, a constant topic of research in the area is expanding the library of materials to be used with these techniques. Among AM methods that utilize polymers, laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) has preferentially used thermoplastic polymers as its starting materials, but the deposition and material joining method employed in PBF-LB may also be compatible with powdered thermoset polymer precursors as feedstocks. To assess the compatibility of candidate thermosetting polymers and PBF-LB, characterization techniques and protocols that link fundamental material behavior to material behavior in the processing environment are needed. Therefore, the objectives of this work are to compare the curing behavior measured with two different calorimetry techniques that can operate in different heating rate regimes, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fast scanning calorimetry (FSC), and to assess the capabilities of these techniques to act as materials screening tools for PBF-LB. A commercial polyester powder coating is used as a model material to evaluate the potential of obtaining complimentary information for material screening through a combination of calorimetry methods, and its non-isothermal curing behavior is measured at heating rates between 5 °C/min and 7500 °C/min. Curing exotherms are observed with both calorimetry techniques, and comparing the enthalpy associated with curing shows that incomplete curing occurs at higher heating rates, with relative conversion values of approximately 30%. The curing data are fit with two isoconversional models, Friedman and Starink, which show a reduced activation energy at higher heating rates as well, signifying a lower barrier to curing at the conditions used in the FSC experiments. Overall, the results of this work indicate that using these two calorimetry techniques as tiered screening tools can provide valuable information about how curing may proceed in PBF-LB and inform materials selection and design activities for additive manufacturing.

• Research Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89303321CEM000080
• OSTI ID: 2506868
• Report Number(s): SRNL--STI-2025-00001-REV1
• Journal Information: ACS Applied Polymer Materials, Journal Name: ACS Applied Polymer Materials Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 7; ISSN 2637-6105
• Publisher: ACS PublicationsCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English