Hydrophobic coating on a 3D-printed poly lactic acid surface

In the current study, the researchers developed a shedding graphite (EG)/acrylic composite film as a protective layer for 3D-printed PLA surfaces.
3D printer uses polylactic acid (PLA) as raw wire because of its regenerability, low extrusion temperature and good performance.
major drawback of 3D-printed poly lactic acid (PLA) products is that their application in harsh environments is limited due to their low

.
paper reported water contact angles (WCA) and weight change behavior on 3D-printed PLA surfaces coated with EG/acrylic composite membranes under wet exposure.
added EG plateplates to the acrylic resin, they obtained a hydrophobic membrane (WCA> 90 degrees).
improves the hydrolysis resistance of 3D-printed PLA surfaces
in addition, the film remains hydrophobic in long, humid environments.
these films also reduce the water absorption rate of 3D-printed PLA surfaces.
add stingric acid to coating formulations to further improve the water resistance of the film.
, hydrophobic EG/acrylic composite film improves the hydrolysis resistance of 3D printed PLA surfaces.
future studies will need to consider the use of EGs on defect-free graphene to form hydrophobic polymer films.
the study was published in the journal
Coatings Technology and Research, July 2019, volume 16, issue 4, pp. 1133-1140
.