Polycarbonate-based nanocomposites were developed herein through a material extrusion (MEX) additive manufacturing (AM) process. The fabrication of the final nanocomposite specimens was achieved by implementing the fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing process. The impact of aluminum nitride (AlN) nanoparticles on the thermal and mechanical behavior of the polycarbonate (PC) matrix was investigated thoroughly for the fabricated nanocomposites, carrying out a range of thermomechanical tests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) provided information about the morphological and surface characteristics of the produced specimens. Using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), the elemental composition of the nanocomposite materials was validated. Raman spectroscopy revealed no chemical interactions between the two material phases. The results showed the reinforcement of most mechanical properties with the addition of the AlN nanoparticles. The nanocomposite with 2 wt.% filler concentration exhibited the best mechanical performance overall, with the highest improvements observed for the tensile strength and toughness of the fabricated specimens, with a percentage of 32.8% and 51.6%, respectively, compared with the pure polymer. The successful AM of PC/AlN nanocomposites with the MEX process is a new paradigm, which expands 3D printing technology and opens a new route for the development of nanocomposite materials with multifunctional properties for industrial applications.
Keywords: additive manufacturing; aluminum nitride (AlN); material extrusion (MEX); mechanical characterization; nanocomposites; polycarbonate (PC); three-dimensional (3D) printing.