Comparative study on nanotubes reinforced with carbon filaments for the 3D printing of mechanical parts

Additive manufacturing (AM) has attracted a lot of interest lately. While different types of materials can be used in AM, their properties, such as strength, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity typically have inferior properties compared with conventionally manufactured counterparts due to the anisotropy caused by the layer-by-layer approach. Nanoparticles, such carbon nanotubes (CNT) are of particular interest for incorporation into AM media because of their unique properties. In this work a comparative study on nanotubes reinforced with carbon filaments for 3D printed mechanical parts was carried out. Regarding the educational benefits of 3D printing, it is considered to be an innovative way of combining technology, design and engineering allowing students to involve in creative uses of 3D printing through an accessible and rather economic process of rapidly producing tangible prototypes of mechanical parts.