Wear and Friction Behavior on Extrusion-Based 3D Printed Short Carbon Fiber Reinforced PETG Composites with Annealing and Laser Treated Effects

This study aims to improve wear and friction behavior in extrusion-based 3D printing by focusing on amorphous PETG and PETG reinforced with short carbon fibers. This work focuses on as-built and annealing as the primary post-processing techniques, comparing annealed PETG-CF and laser-treated PETG-CF with as-built pure PETG and as-built PETG-CF. Pin-on-disc tribometer tests were conducted under varying loads (5–20 N) and sliding velocities (1–3 m/s), recording the wear rate and coefficient of friction. Enhanced bonding achieved through post-processing, particularly when temperatures exceeded the polymer’s glass transition temperature, resulted in superior wear and friction performance, notably in laser-treated samples. Morphological analysis of worn surfaces supported these findings. Shore D hardness measurements indicated sustained hardness post-wear for annealed and laser-treated samples. PETG-CF annealed and laser-treated samples exhibited minimal degradation under compressive loads during wear tests, showing moderate improvement compared to other samples. This research underscores the efficacy of post-processing techniques in enhancing the mechanical properties of 3D printed composites, particularly in optimizing wear resistance and maintaining hardness in demanding operational conditions. These samples demonstrated increased wear resistance, making them suitable for automotive and aerospace applications requiring rotational or reciprocating motion.