Mechanical properties and thermal and electrical conductivity of 3D printed ABS-copper ferrite composites via 3D printing technique

This study examines the effect of particulate reinforcement on the mechanical properties of 3D printed acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS). Copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) as a reinforcer with various loadings was used to print ABS composite specimen, namely, 8, 11 and 14 wt%. Mechanical testing such as tensile test and hardness test was performed on the printed samples. Specimens with 14 wt% of CuFe2O4 showed a 135% increase in tensile strength compared to the pure ABS specimens. Specimens printed with 14 wt% of CuFe2O4 are 14% harder compared to the pure ABS specimens. Thermal conductivity increased 93% for specimen loaded with 14 wt% reinforcer. Electrical conductivity shows a one-order increase for composite specimen compared to control specimen.