Investigation of Fused Filament Fabrication Parameters for Producing Mechanically Stable SiC/Polymer Composite Green Parts

Solgi, Mohammad; Ghelich, Raziyeh; Omidvar, Hamid

doi:10.30501/acp.2026.592047.1203

Investigation of Fused Filament Fabrication Parameters for Producing Mechanically Stable SiC/Polymer Composite Green Parts

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Mohammad Solgi ¹

Raziyeh Ghelich ²

Hamid Omidvar ³^{, 4}

¹ MSc Student, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, 1599637111, Iran.

² Ph.D., Department of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, P.O. Box 31787-316, Iran.

³ Associate Professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, 1599637111, Iran.

⁴ Associate Professor, Center for International Scientific Studies and Collaborations (CISSC) of Iran, Tehran, Iran.

10.30501/acp.2026.592047.1203

Abstract

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a non-oxide technical ceramic with outstanding mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties; however, its high hardness and brittleness limit the fabrication of complex geometries using conventional manufacturing routes. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) provides a cost-effective approach for shaping ceramic-polymer composites, although obtaining high-quality green parts remains challenging due to the sensitivity of ceramic-filled filaments to printing conditions. In this study, the printability of a commercial PE/α-SiC composite filament containing 52 vol.% SiC was investigated through thermal, microstructural, and mechanical evaluations. Thermal analysis was performed to evaluate the thermal behavior and decomposition characteristics of the composite filament, while the microstructure and mechanical performance of the fabricated green parts were evaluated under selected printing conditions. Thermal analysis revealed relatively limited mass loss below approximately 360 °C and a major binder degradation region between 360 and 474 °C. The selected printing conditions, including a layer height of 0.4 mm, 100% linear infill density, one shell, nozzle temperature of 250 °C, bed temperature of 60 °C, printing speed of 15 mm s⁻¹, and flow rate of 110%, enabled the fabrication of mechanically stable green parts. SEM observations revealed improved filament contact and fewer visible inter-bead gaps compared with the comparative printed specimen. The fabricated green parts exhibited an average flexural strength of 10.5 ± 2.5 MPa, indicating adequate mechanical integrity in the as-printed state. Furthermore, the successful fabrication of a complex-shaped green component demonstrated the capability of the selected FFF processing conditions to produce geometrically complex SiC/polymer green parts using a commercial composite filament. The present study provides a baseline for subsequent investigations of the debinding and sintering of FFF-printed SiC components.

Keywords

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

Printing Parameters

SiC Filament

Additive Manufacturing

Green Parts

Subjects

ceramic

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