Improving mechanical strength of SS 316L reinforced PMMA nanocomposite through resin 3D printing process parameter optimization
摘要
With the growing demand for high-performance dental materials, resin-based 3D printing has become a viable method for creating customized dental products. This study focuses on examining the influence of exposure time (ET), layer height (LH), and post-curing time (PCT) on key mechanical properties and their optimization. Mathematical models were established for flexural, impact and compressive strength using regression analysis and validated through analysis of variance (ANOVA), demonstrating high significance and predictive accuracy (R² > 0.98 for all models). The results revealed that increased exposure and post-curing times generally enhanced mechanical performance due to improved polymer cross-linking and interfacial bonding, while an optimal range of layer height minimized void formation and ensured structural integrity. The optimized printing conditions were determined to be 4.46 min exposure time, 22.3 microns layer height, and 24.4 min post-curing time, yielding superior mechanical properties: flexural strength of 94.8 MPa, impact strength of 17.4 J/m, and compressive strength of 180.8 MPa. These insights highlight the effectiveness of process parameter optimization in advancing 3D-printed nanocomposites for biomedical applications.
Graphical abstract