Chemically modified bamboo fiber/ABS composites for high-quality additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing enables the creation of lighter, stronger parts and systems. To improve the 3-dimensional (3D) printed quality of bio-based composites, in this study, bamboo fibers were chemically modified via a two-step reaction. In the first step, NCO groups (of a diisocyanate) were grafted onto the surface of fibers, which were subsequently reacted with a polyol. The chemical modification was confirmed by spectroscopic analysis; the hydrophobicity, density, and thermal degradation of the fibers were also evaluated. Afterward, 3D-printed objects were produced using these fibers. First, the printability of these composites was assessed by analyzing their melting flow index (MFI) and glass transition temperature (Tg) values. Next, the enhancement of the 3D printing quality was confirmed by analyzing the morphology of the 3D-printed specimens. The advantage of using treated fibers was reflected in the improved mechanical performance of the obtained 3D specimens.