Investigation of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced 3D Printed Polymer Composites

Investigation of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced 3D Printed Polymer Composites | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Investigation of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced 3D Printed Polymer Composites Shrishail Kakkeri, Namdev Patil, Mahagundappa Benal, Sambhaji Kusekar, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7279914/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 25 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology → Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In this study, the fused deposition modelling (FDM) process is utilized to develop the short glass fiber (SGF) reinforced 3D printed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) polymer composites. Three filaments for FDM were prepared by varying SGF reinforcement percentages in ABS matrix 0%, 15%, and 30% respectively. The microstructural analysis of SGF reinforced ABS filament was carried out to understand bonding and dispersion. The composites were analyzed for their microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture behavior. Short glass fibers were uniformly distributed in composite ABS matrix, with strong interfacial bonding between ABS and SGF, and no clustering or gaps at interfaces. Tensile test demonstrated that the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) was significantly enhanced with SGF inclusion, peaking at 49.7 MPa for the ABS/30%SGF composite, demonstrating the strength advantages of fiber reinforcing. On the contrary, the presence of SGF negatively affected material elongation, with the ABS/30%SGF composite showing the least flexibility, likely due to restricted polymer chain mobility. Fractured tensile specimens revealed a transition from ductile fracture in neat ABS to brittle fracture in SGF composites, with the latter lacking plastic deformation features. The ABS/30%SGF composite had the highest flexural strength, demonstrating enhanced fiber-matrix bonding and fiber distribution, resulting in a 58.2% and 12.7% increase in strength compared to neat ABS and the ABS/15%SGF composites, respectively. ABS short glass fiber fused deposition modelling polymer composites Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 1. Introduction In response to the market's need for materials that outperform traditional materials in terms of both quality and benefits, composite materials are developed. Composite materials, which are made of multiple parts integrated in a novel way, have become a vital element in numerous areas of technology, science and engineering. These feature an extensive number of special characteristics and capabilities that render them an exceptional product in addition to making them extremely appealing to their clients. The composite materials market is experiencing significant growth. This growth is driven by increasing demand across various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy [ 1 ]. Composite materials outperform conventional materials. The composites' toughness, stiffness as well as tensile strength can be increased by employing reinforcing fibers having a high degree of strength which have been embedded within the matrix material [ 2 ]. Another significant advantage of composite materials is that they may be custom designed to meet the needs of certain applications, providing an extra benefit. Due to this advancement, lightweight structures can now be designed without compromising performance. Composite materials are also excellent for structurally demanding applications due to their exceptional durability and resistance to fatigue. The properties of composite materials can be maximized by selecting appropriate reinforcing fibers, matrix materials, and how those are blended to accomplish the targeted characteristics, such as corrosion resistance, fire resistance, thermal and electrical conductivity [ 3 ]. Composites are adaptable substances with a variety of uses because they may be customized to fit specific needs. Weight reduction is an added advantage of composites, making it considered to be their primary feature. A material made from a composite that is built with low density and lightweight reinforcing fibers could have a high strength-to-weight ratio. In sectors including transportation, automotive as well as aerospace, the reduced weight results in better fuel economy, increased cargo capacity, and enhanced performance [ 4 , 5 ]. Lightweight composite materials reduce energy consumption and emissions as well as their environmental impact. Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, has transformed the landscape of modern manufacturing by enabling the production of complex geometries, rapid prototyping, and material-efficient designs [ 6 ]. Additive manufacturing offers a level of design flexibility that has never been achievable, which includes the manufacture of intricate structures and intricate shapes which may prove extremely difficult or hard to produce with standard manufacturing techniques. A key advantage of this freedom is that it allows component performance to be optimized, weight to be reduced, and multiple functionalities to be incorporated into a single part, thereby resulting in a reduction in assembly and increased productivity [ 7 , 8 ]. Customization and fine-tuning of the material's properties are another significant benefit. Additive manufacturing is a process that enables polymer materials, fibers, or particles to be embedded within polymer matrixes with an enormous degree of control over their composition, distribution, and orientation. This capability of customization allows the production of polymer composites with tailored characteristics, which offers improved performance and functionality for a variety of applications [ 9 , 10 ]. Among the various AM techniques, Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) has gained widespread use due to its cost-effectiveness, ease of operation, and compatibility with a wide range of thermoplastic materials [ 11 ]. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is one such thermoplastic commonly used in FDM owing to its good impact resistance, thermal stability, and mechanical strength [ 12 ]. However, ABS parts printed via FDM often suffer from limited mechanical properties, dimensional inaccuracy, and interlayer adhesion issues, restricting their suitability for high-performance applications [ 13 ]. To address these limitations, the reinforcement of ABS with fibers such as carbon, Aramid, and glass has been explored to enhance its mechanical performance and structural integrity [ 14 ]. Glass fiber (GF) is an attractive reinforcement due to its high tensile strength, stiffness, thermal resistance, and relatively low cost. With low thermal expansion and good dimensional stability, SGF fibers (4.5–4.9 GPa strength, 85–90 GPa modulus, 2.4 g/cm³ density) suit high-temperature applications [ 15 ]. When incorporated into thermoplastic matrices like ABS, glass fibers can significantly improve the mechanical properties, making the composite more suitable for load-bearing and structural applications [ 16 ]. Recent studies have shown that fiber-reinforced polymer composites fabricated via FDM exhibit enhanced tensile and flexural properties compared to pure polymers [ 17 ]. However, challenges remain in achieving uniform fiber distribution, strong fiber-matrix adhesion, and controlling void formation during the FDM process. Additionally, the anisotropic nature of FDM-printed components, resulting from the layer-by-layer deposition, contributes to variability in mechanical performance [ 18 ]. Understanding the effects of these factors on microstructure and mechanical behavior is crucial for the advancement of FDM-printed composite materials. This study aims to investigate the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of glass fiber reinforced ABS polymer composites fabricated by FDM. To enhance comprehension of the dispersion and arrangement of the SGF within the ABS matrix, the microstructure of composite filament was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For mechanical properties characterization tensile test and flexural test were conducted. These tests were carried out in compliance with the standards established by the ASTM. Furthermore, the composite samples were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze the surfaces of fractured tensile specimens. The objective of this work was to identify the failure processes and fracture patterns of SGF-reinforced polymer composites that were manufactured utilizing the FDM method. SEM examination can provide a comprehensive understanding of the bonding between the SGF and ABS matrix, as well as the distribution and orientation of the SGF within the composites. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1 Materials, equipment, and process parameters The raw materials used in this paper are ABS pellets and SGF. The macrograph of ABS pellets is depicted in Fig. 1 (a). Furthermore, the properties of ABS are illustrated in Fig. 1 (b) [ 19 ]. These properties play a role in facilitating the extensive utilization of ABS in various industries and manufacturing procedures. Figure 2 (a) and (b) shows the macrograph and SEM image of short glass fiber. To prepare the filaments, ABS pellets were first dried at 120°C for 2 hours. After drying, the pellets were compounded with predetermined amounts of short glass fiber (SGF). These mixtures were fed into a laboratory-grade twin-screw compounding machine. For filament extrusion, a single-screw, double-rod extruder equipped with a 1.75 mm diameter cylindrical die was used. A prep-mixer operated at 50 rpm and 225°C was employed to blend ABS pellets with 15 wt.% and 30 wt.% SGF. A neat ABS sample was also prepared under identical processing conditions for comparison. The compounded mixtures were then extruded into preforms using the twin-screw extruder set at 220°C. During the final extrusion for FDM filament fabrication, the barrel temperature was maintained between 200–230°C. The FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) process utilizes a filament or wire as the primary material, which is fed into a nozzle or extrusion head. The filament is heated to a semi-liquid or molten state, typically just above its melting point. The molten thermoplastic material is then extruded through a nozzle. During the extrusion process, the molten material is deposited layer by layer, and rapid cooling takes place upon deposition to achieve the final product. In this study, an ABS + SGF polymer composite filament (0%, 15%, 30%) was extruded from the nozzle at a temperature of 248°C. This filament was used to print the tensile specimens with dimensions depicted in Fig. 3 (a). For the FDM printing process, Prusa i3 and Praman printers from Global 3D labs in Bangalore were utilized. These printers feature an enclosed chamber with a capacity of 300cm 3 , ensuring a controlled environment for the printing process. Table 1 provides an overview of the technical specifications of the FDM printer that was employed for printing. By carefully selecting and optimizing these parameters, the development of accurate and high-quality 3D models was achieved. The chosen concentric infill pattern with a density of 100 percent ensures robustness and structural integrity in the printed parts, making them suitable for the intended application. Table 1 Technical specifications of prusa i3 FDM printer Technology Fused Deposition Modelling Print Size 160mm * 160mm * 180mm Compatible Materials ABS, PC, PLA, PET-G etc Print Resolution 0.1 mm/100 Microns Hot-end Type Single Extruder Nozzle-Type Brass Nozzle Max. Temp. 260°C Max. Bed Temp. 100°C Working Ambient Temp. 15–40°C Connectivity SD-Card/USB Power Input Voltage: 220 V,50Hz Input Current: 5–6 Amp. 2.2 Experimental test procedures Dog bone shaped tensile specimens with dimensions depicted in Fig. 3 (a) adhering to ASTM D638 standard were printed. The tensile test was conducted by the National Analytical Laboratories and Research Centre in Bangalore, following the standardized procedure outlined in ASTM D638. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of SGF concentration in ABS on the tensile strength of proposed composite material. Tensile tests were carried out on the FIE make universal tensile machine. The Fig. 3 (b) showcases the photograph of printed tensile specimens. Flexural specimens were meticulously designed and developed in strict adherence to the guidelines outlined in ASTM D790 standard. To conduct the experiment, a 3-point loading system was employed to apply the load onto a simply supported specimen. This loading configuration ensures that the load is distributed evenly across the specimen's width, allowing for accurate measurement of flexural properties. The universal tensile material testing system was utilized to carry out the tests, providing a reliable and versatile platform for material characterization. During the experiment, a controlled crosshead speed of 3 mm/min was maintained. This deliberate choice of speed ensures a consistent and uniform rate of loading, minimizing the potential for any sudden stress concentrations or fluctuations that could affect the test results. The flexural test aimed to determine the material's resistance to bending or flexing, providing insights into its structural integrity and performance under different loading conditions. The key parameters such as flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and deformation behavior were measured. 3. Results and Discussion In this section, microstructure analysis of ABS with and without glass fiber filaments and printed parts is presented. Further the mechanical behavior is investigated by using tensile and flexural tests along with macro and microstructure analysis of fractured tensile specimens. The discussion on how glass fiber influences the printing process and mechanical behavior is provided in detail. 3.1 Microstructure analysis of filaments To understand the dispersion and bonding of SGF with the ABS matrix, the electron microscopy analysis was carried out. The SEM micrographs of top view and cross-section of ABS/x-SGF composites are presented in Fig. 4 (a - h). The top view of complete filament with 15% and 30% SGF content is shown in Fig. 4 (a) and (b), respectively. From this view, the dispersion of SGF seems to be uniform with no region showing clustering of SGF’s in both the composites. The surface appears to have no pores or voids in the matrix or between the fibers. Further high magnification micrographs were taken, and it was observed that both the composites had good dispersion of SGF in the ABS matrix as illustrated in Fig. 4 (c) and (d). It is critical in composites that the reinforcing phase is evenly distributed throughout the matrix phase. The micrographs did show good dispersion in the ABS matrix without any clustering or any fiber free zones. The uniform dispersion of SGF’s could be attributed to the shearing force induced by the extruder. The shearing force uncoils the bundles of SGF and disperses them uniformly in the ABS matrix. This is the main advantage of twin screw extruder which helps in proper and uniform mixing of different constituents of composites. Further the micrographs showed that filaments were virtually free of pores or any other processing defects. In general, it is observed in composites that with the increase in reinforcing phase content the porosity percentage tend to increase due to introduction of large number of interfaces. In some cases, the neat polymer could depict pores or processing defects if the manufacturing process parameters adopted are unsuitable. For instance, Singh et al. [ 20 ] reported microstructure analysis of ABS-EG polymer filament developed under different processing conditions. The extrusion process involved extrusion of filaments by varying barrel temperature, screw speed and take-up speed. The developed filaments showed considerable amount of air pockets and as their numbers increased, the mechanical properties of filament decreased. On the other hand, Zhang et al. [ 21 ] reported structural analysis of carbon fiber and nanotubes reinforced ABS composites filaments using SEM. The authors observed some pores in the carbon fiber reinforced composite filaments while the neat ABS and composite filament reinforced with nanotubes showed no such pores. Both studies strongly urge optimizing process parameters in filament extrusion to eliminate processing-related defects. So, it is undesirable to have such defects which could be formed either due to unsuitable process parameters or due to the introduction of reinforcing material. Such defects could limit the load bearing capacity of the material leading to poor performance. However, from Fig. 4 (c) and (d), it is quite clear that both composites contain no such defects. This implies the selected extrusion parameters were optimum enough to produce better quality neat ABS and composite filaments. Figure 4 (e) and (f) shows the SEM micrographs of cross-section of ABS/x-SGF composites with 15% and 30% SGF content. The interfacial bonding between SGF and ABS matrix is quite strong, as there is no gap at the interface between these constituents. The fibers seem to be intact with no physical damage such as kink formation due to extrusion process. During uncoiling process there are high chances of kink formation in the fibers due to application of shear force by the extruder. As the SGF content increases the interaction among the fibers also increases which could introduce kink in large number of fibers. However, the present extrusion conditions were optimum enough to introduce shear force that uncoiled the fibers but insufficient to form kinks in them. Further, the fibers were aligned in the direction of extrusion which is crucial from the point of view of mechanical and physical properties. An interesting point to be noted is that with the increase in SGF content the spacing between fibers appears to decrease. However, this decrease in distance hasn’t introduced any kind of pores in between the fiber which is quite evident from Fig. 4 (c) and (d) as well. On the other hand, Weng et al.[ 21 ] detected inadequate adhesion of carbon fiber with the ABS matrix and a considerable gap was observed between them. However, authors didn’t elaborate the poor adhesion of carbon fibers in the composite filament. Finally, the extruded composite filament’s external surface was visible in the SEM micrographs provided in Fig. 4 (g) and (h). The micrographs support the claim made in macroscopic analysis that the filament surface had smooth texture. For better and defect free surface finish the extrusion parameters such as viscosity should not be too low or high enough to cause non-uniform flow, intermittent blockages or plastic leaking at the nozzle end, during extrusion process. Under such circumstances the defects formed are classified as interlaminar, intralaminar and high surface finish. For example, Milosevic et al.[ 22 ] found it difficult to extrude polypropylene composites containing 20% and 30% harakeke and hemp fibers. The authors noticed accumulation of these natural fibers at the extruder infeed which led to congestion and improper melt flow. The filament surface showed discontinuous scales of composites and some fibers protruding out of it. In another work, Singamneni et al.[ 23 ] studied the effect of varying wood flour particles on dimensions and surface finishing of polybutyrate-adipate-terephthalate-polymer (PBAT) matrix composites. The authors found good stability in extruding the filaments with lower particle content, however when it was increased to 20% certain difficulties were observed. For instance, filament diameter was changing continuously, and the filament became wavy at certain locations. However, in present study the appropriate viscosity or more specifically the extrusion temperature opted led to continuous flow resulting in filaments with smooth texture and better surface finish with no visible defects. 3.2 Microstructure analysis of printed parts The SEM images of FDM printed parts of ABS and its composites with different SGF content are shown in Fig. 5 (a-f). The primary purpose of conducting SEM analysis was to evaluate the surface and bonding quality. The SEM images of neat ABS printed part depicted in Fig. 5 (a). The surface of the part appears quite rough with considerable amount of waviness. The bonding between the raster's and layers is not clearly visible in the micrograph, hence high magnification SEM micrograph was captured to get detailed view of raster's and layers. As seen in Fig. 5 (b), the bonding between the layers is quite good with exception of micro-porosities seen at few locations. The adhesion or formation of bond between the ABS raster’s and layers is affected by the thermal energy of the ABS being extruded through nozzle of the FDM printer. This implies that the temperature plays an important role in the bonding quality. There are two main temperature-driven bonding mechanisms such as molecular diffusion between the raster’s at the interface and neck growth steered by the surface tension which decides the bonding quality [ 24 , 25 ]. Both the mechanisms play an equally important role in achieving good bonding between the raster’s as well as layers. During deposition process the temperature of ABS raster remains above its glass transition temperature for longer duration. This condition facilitates the intermolecular diffusion across the interface and at one point of time the interface disappears at several locations or tends to cease where one can see the triangular shaped voids. The ceasing of interface and observation of triangular shaped voids will be covered in the fracture analysis section. Further, as the temperature of raster remains higher than glass transition temperature there is neck growth between the adjacent ABS raster’s. Deposition of raster’s at optimum temperature of 230°C led to larger neck growth and better molecular diffusion due to which the number of voids seen between the interface of raster’s or layers is very less [refer Fig. 5 (b)]. On the other hand, ABS composite filament with 15% SGF content as shown in Fig. 5 (c) showed slightly higher rough surface with some micro-porosities in between the layers. Apart from this the bond between the layers was quite good with no considerable gap visible between them [refer Fig. 5 (d)]. It is well known that addition of fibrous material to the polymer can create voids as some of the fibers undergo decomposition during twin screw extrusion or printing process. For instance, the jute fiber which is used as reinforcement for ABS matrix undergoes decomposition when the processing temperature of 180°C is reached [ 26 – 28 ]. This results in breakdown of cellulose and generation of combustion gases leading formation of the voids. But in the present study the SGF is used as reinforcing phase, and it is known for its better heat resistance, chemical stability and thermal insulation properties. The degradation temperature of SGF is well above 1000°C and it doesn’t lose strength until the temperature is reached more than 400°C [ 29 ]. So, there is an extremely little likelihood of SGF getting decomposed which could otherwise have nucleated the voids in the composite. However, no significant difference is observed between neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composite as both displayed almost identical surface appearance. The SEM images of FDM printed parts of ABS/30%SGF composite is shown in the Fig. 5 (e – f). It can be noticed that increasing the SGF percentage from 15–30% improves the appearance of the printed parts significantly. Unlike ABS and ABS/15%SGF composite, here the surface is less rough, and the number of pores observed is very less. Despite the large weight percentage of SGF, the ABS seemed to have covered the fibers uniformly and avoided pore formation at interface between the raster’s or layers. As evident from Fig. 5 (f), There were no significant gaps or pores between the layers, indicating strong bonding. 3.3 Mechanical properties: Ultimate strength, Elongation The effect of reinforcement of SGF to the ABS on mechanical properties was studied by conducting tensile tests. The stress-strain curves for all FDM printed tensile samples of neat ABS and its composites are shown in Fig. 6 (a). The curves clearly show that the stress required deforming the samples increased with the addition of SGF. As the SGF concentration in the ABS expanded from 15–30%, the stress level further enhanced. However, the tensile strain tends to decrease when the SGF is included in the ABS matrix. The curve corresponding to neat ABS showed almost linear increase with the increase in stress. On the other hand, the composites showed no appreciable deformation prior to failure, indicating the substantial improvement in modulus and strength because of the introduction of SGF. Figure 6 (b) illustrates the ABS and its composite’s ultimate tensile strength (UTS) variation with SGF's weight percentage within the ABS matrix. A significant change in the strength of ABS has been noticed after the incorporation of SGF into it. From Fig. 6 (b) it is evident that the addition of SGF has a positive influence on the UTS of ABS matrix. For neat ABS the UTS was about ~ 28.3 MPa which is in accordance with the UTS reported by other researchers. Perez et al. [ 15 ] reported UTS in the range of 14.1 to 28.5 MPa of neat ABS when tensile tests were conducted at 10 mm/min strain rate. In study by Vidakis et al. [ 16 ] reported tensile strength of ~ 27 MPa for 3D printed neat ABS when tested at same strain rate. In the present work, the neat ABS showed slightly higher UTS value as presented by the aforesaid research studies. The ABS matrix's UTS value enhanced from 28.5 MPa to ~ 37 MPa when SGF of 15% had been reinforced into it. It indicates that the UTS value for ABS matrix has increased by 29.8% as a result of the inclusion of 15% SGF content. The UTS boosted to an amount of ~ 49.7 MPa as the content of SGF had been increased further from 15–30%. The strength improvement over neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF was 74.4% and 34.3%, respectively. In comparison to both materials, UTS increased significantly. As compared to neat ABS, the 30%SGF inclusion has significantly increased UTS of ABS matrix. This is mostly due to the fact that, the reinforcing phase carries most of the tensile load under external loading conditions. The effectiveness of the reinforcing phase's load carrying capability is dependent on several variables, including the matrix's wetting of the reinforcement, the reinforcing phase's dispersion, and the content of reinforcement. For example, the UTS of ABS decreased from 28.5 MPa to 25.9 MPa when 5% jute was added to it. The drop in UTS was attributed to decomposition of fibers and formation of numerous voids [ 26 ]. In another work [ 30 ], UTS of ABS decreased as a result of the inclusion of graphene nanoplatelets. The reinforcement content varied from 0.5–10% but none of the combinations showed UTS higher than neat ABS which was attributed formation of graphene agglomerates. However, SGF are known for their high tensile strength value of ~ 4585 MPa and load bearing capacity due to its high silica content [ 15 ]. SGF’s strength is therefore high, and it's been anticipated that its introduction into the ABS matrix will contribute to an increase in strength. Additionally, SGF have excellent chemical stability as well as decomposition temperatures, and moreover one can anticipate that they will retain their shape and strength even at high temperatures. As opposed to alternative reinforcements, which tend to agglomerate or breakdown during the twin screw extruder blending process [ 31 , 32 ]. Additionally, as the content of SGF expanded from 15–30%, the load-bearing ability of ABS composite enhanced. The composite has a lower load carrying capability when SGF content is just 15%, but once the content of SGF rises to 30%, there're more load carrying fibers present, allowing the composite to bear more loads than ABS with 15% SGF composite. Higher reinforcement content does not mean higher UTS, since dispersion and bonding problems increase with higher reinforcement content. But both in the filament and the 3D printed part, there was a strong interfacial bond and homogeneous SGF dispersion. Despite the increase in SGF content, neither agglomeration nor damage were observed on the fiber surface [refer Fig. 4 (d) and (f)] after the blending process. There was no evidence of broken fibers protruding from the surface of the part after printing. No problem forming at all, because of either poor mixing or printing parameters or any sign of significant pores that might otherwise appear on the surface of the part after printing. At the SGF and ABS matrix contact, there wasn't any gap, and the interfacial bonding was additionally strong. This suggests that the SGF were tightly packed within the ABS matrix, a structure that may withstand significant strain and inhibit the onset of cracks. These factors led to the ABS/30%SGF composite exhibiting a higher UTS. A comparable observation has been made by Hamzah et al. [ 33 ] on their work on zinc ferrite reinforced BAS composites developed using 3D printing technique. The composites' tensile strength enhanced from 13.04 MPa to 24.29 MPa as the zinc ferrite content was increased from 8–14%. Strength was deemed to have increased because of the number of load carrying members and their good interfacial bonding with the ABS matrix. UTS increased significantly because of SGF's inclusion in the ABS matrix overall. As shown in Fig. 6 (c), ABS and its composites exhibited varying elongations at break depending on their SGF content. The figure shows that when SGF content rises from 15–30%, the elongation at break tends to decrease. The highest value of ~ 17.5% was recorded for neat ABS which is quite high when compared with the previously published literature [ 31 , 34 ]. As perceived by Francis et al. [ 31 ], for neat ABS, the elongation at break was approximately 5.8%, which is significantly lower than present work. In similar scenario, Hamzah et al. [ 34 ] obtained a value of 6.37% for neat ABS developed via 3D printing technique. Although the authors in the aforesaid references didn’t specify the reason for low elongation value but again one should understand it all depends on the adhesion between raster’s and the layers. The probable reason is limited contact points between the raster’s due to which they might have failed at low elongation values under tensile load. The SGF inclusion resulted in a decline in the value of elongation compared to the neat ABS. For instance, the ABS/15%SGF composite showed an elongation value of 12.5%. When compared with the neat ABS, about 28.5% decline in the elongation at break had been found for this composite. Sezer et al. [ 32 ], found that when 10% MWCNTs was added to ABS, its elongation value decreased from 4.4–3.6%. When 10% MWCNT had been incorporated into ABS, the elongation at break decreased by roughly 18.2%. In case of 3D printed parts, the low elongation values are generally due to poor or limited contact between the raster’s and presence of porosity. But in present study, microstructure analysis showed very good bonding between raster’s and raster/SGF. Further the quantity of micro-porosities seen in the microstructure is very less so the decrease in the elongation cannot be attributed to these factors. Yuan et al. [ 35 ] described that with the addition of reinforcing phase to the polymeric matrix or more specifically melt, there are high chances of increase in the melt viscosity. Due to the increase in the melt viscosity the consolidation of melt might not be as good as neat polymeric material. Such region where insufficient fusion takes place, the possibility of micro defect including void generation is quite easy which leads to brittle failure of composite [ 35 ]. However, by observing the microstructures of filaments and 3D printed parts, it is quite clear that the insufficient fusion regions and large pores are absent. In such scenario the main reason for decrease in the elongation at break is restriction to the movement of ABS molecular chains by SGF. The mobility of ABS molecular chains is greatly reduced due to the presence of SGF which makes composite stiffer than neat ABS eventually leading to reduction in elongation at break of the ABS/15%SGF composite. Furthermore, the elongation at break dramatically decreased as the SGF level was raised from 15–30%. Compared to neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composites, ABS/30%SGF composites had an elongation of 6%, corresponding decrease of 65.7% and 52%, respectively. Similar to that of ABS/15%SGF composite, here in this case, also the presence of large amount of SGF content poses huge restriction to the movement of ABS molecular chains. The number of restriction points is quite higher in this composite due to the large amount of SGF content (30%) which is why the drop in elongation at break is quite large. These reasons collectively cause the significant decrease in the elongation at break of ABS/30%SGF composite. Similar observation has been reported by Ahmed et al. [ 36 ], where increase in carbon fiber content from 15–20% led to a decrease in elongation at break from 1.9–1.65% while the neat ABS showed a value of 7.1%. The author attributed such low value of elongations due to the addition of high aspect ratio of carbon fiber which tends to drop the strain of ABS composite. On a similar note, Ahmed et al. [ 18 ] also reported decrease in elongation when organically modified montmorillonite nanoparticles are added to ABS matrix. When 0.3% and 0.5% nanoparticles are added by weight, the elongation of ABS composites decreased from 5.8% for neat ABS to 4.8% and 4.5% respectively. The authors attributed such drop to the restriction to movement of ABS molecular chains by nanoparticles. Overall, the addition of reinforcing phase to a polymer matrix increases strength but it also causes significant reduction in elongation. This strength-elongation trade-off is not new in polymer composites, and it is very difficult to obtain both simultaneous increment in strength and elongation. 3.4 Fractography analysis After the tensile test all the samples were subjected to microscopy analysis to understand the failure mechanism composites. First, the failed samples were photographed to provide a macrostructural insight. Figure 7 displays images of ABS and its composites tensile samples that failed. From these photographs the first point to be noted is that with SGF inclusion and enhancement in its content from 15–30% had shown a transition from ductile to brittle fracture behavior. The ductile behavior of neat ABS which was evident from its high elongation value of ~ 17.5%, was also visible in the fractured surface. The fractured tensile sample corresponding to neat ABS showed occurrence of breakage at the gauge section and considerable necking prior to the failure [figure 7 (a)]. The stretching and reorientation of polymer chains help neat ABS to attain high deformation and main reason for necking in the tensile sample. On the other hand, the ABS/15%SGF composite showed some amount of necking but not as that of neat ABS. As seen in Fig. 7 (b), fracture surface of composite showed necking which implies that it possessed considerable amount of elongation. This is well backed up by the elongation value (12.5%) obtained after the tensile test. Despite the addition of large amount of SGF to ABS, the composite displayed ductile behavior while in some cases even the addition of small amount of 1wt% of reinforcing phase the composite displayed brittle behavior. The ABS composites developed by Sezer et al.[ 32 ] using 3D printing displayed brittle fracture when it was loaded with 1wt% MWCNT. This explains that addition alone will not influence properties but the interaction between reinforcing phase and matrix such bonding between them and dispersion of reinforcing phase in matrix will also dictate the properties. In this regard it can be said that bonding between SGF and ABS was good and dispersion of SGF was uniform throughout the ABS matrix which imparted the ability to undergo plastic deformation. In the case of ABS/30%SGF composite the fractured ends were nearly flat, indicating brittle failure. Unlike other samples where considerable necking was observed here necking was not seen [Figure 7 (c)]. This could be attributed to high level of cross-linking of polymeric chains resulting from addition of SGF. Due to cross-linking the sample didn’t show plastic deformation which was quite evident from low elongation value of 6%. Due to aforesaid reasons the ABS/30%SGF composite showed a brittle fracture. One can observe that there is transition from ductile fracture for neat ABS to brittle fracture for ABS/30%SGF composite. This observation is well supported by the work reported by[ 26 ] et al. on 3D printed ABS composites reinforced with jute fiber and TiO2 particles. The author found that the addition of reinforcing led to a reduction in freedom to undergo plastic deformation. This is in turn shown as a brittle type failure for ABS composites while ABS showed ductile failure. The SEM micrographs of surfaces of fractured tensile specimens of ABS and its composites are shown in Fig. 8 (a-f). The neat ABS samples exhibited ductile failure as depicted in Fig. 8 (a), the SEM image conveyed the same showing tear ridges resulting from the deformation. The tear ridges tend to form on the outer surface and move inward as the deformation proceeds. Several crazes SEM image convey the formation of tear ridges and ductile failure of neat ABS. On similar note, Samykano et al. [ 37 ] reported the tensile behaviour of FDM printed neat ABS material. The fractured specimen showed some amount of necking before failure indicating amount of plastic deformation undergone. Similarly, Jamadi et al. [ 38 ] observed neat and smooth fractured surface for unreinforced polymeric material. The author arrived at the conclusion that failure was ductile in nature based on overall observation. The ABS/15%SGF composite's fracture surface is shown in Fig. 8 (b) and (c). Both the SEM micrographs showed extensive fiber cut-off and matrix pull-out but none of them showed any voids which otherwise have formed during printing process. In general, when the bonding between the fibers and matrix is poor then one can observe fiber pull-out and voids formation in the fracture surface. However, in the present case the fractured surface showed fiber cut-off at all regions and each fiber showed some ABS remnants on their surface. Such features are possible when SGF is well wrapped by the ABS matrix and interfacial bonding between them is good. Further, when pulled, the SGF were able to withstand the load which implied that the load was efficiently transferred from matrix to SGF. In such scenario there are two possibilities that could occur in composites, SGF cut-off and matrix pull out. Both these features were clearly seen in the fractured surface explaining the large extent of plastic deformation undergone by the composite. Another most distinct feature seen in the FDM printed composites is delamination between the adjacent layers. For instance, Liu et al. [ 39 ] reported such features in their work on carbon fiber reinforced polyamide composites. The delamination was seen between the adjacent layers indicating poor bonding between them. At several regions, the matrix couldn’t cover the entire fiber bundle and few of the fibers were loosely packed. While the delamination was observed in the work of Liu et al., but in present study the delamination was not observed in ABS/15%SGF composite indicating good bonding between SGF/ABS, raster’s and layers. The ABS/30%SGF composite’s fracture surface is shown in Fig. 8 (d), (e), and (f). The SEM micrographs were similar to that of ABS/15%SGF composite but with extensive fiber-cut off and few fiber pull-outs were observed. The first point to be noted here is the absence of plastic deformation features indicating the brittleness of composites. The addition of large amount of SGF content resulted in cross-linkage between the chains of polymer. This hampers the ability of composite to undergo plastic deformation and reduce the elongation. Further, the distance between the fibers decreases as compared to ABS/15%SGF composite and in such scenario some fibers are so closely packed that they can be easily pulled out. This feature is clearly seen in Fig. 8 (d) where fibers were dislodged and the distance between them was few hundred microns. Although similar features are seen in Fig. 8 (e) and (f), but careful observation shows that few fibers got cut-off while some of them were pulled out. The ABS/30%SGF composite displayed the highest young’s modulus and tensile strength owing to the presence of large amount of SGF but the fibers do act as point of stress concentrator’s. Higher the number of fibers the stress concentration points which on application of load tend to break the fibers. The fibers experience shear forces during application of tensile load provided they are not oriented in the direction of loading. In such cases the fibers get fractured which is quite evident from Fig. 8 (e) and (f). The reported work provides strong support for this observation by Prerez et al. [ 26 ], where the authors found that the addition of TiO2 particles enhanced the strength but reduced the ductility. The TiO2 particles acted as a point of stress concentration and accumulation of microfracture led to brittle fracture of composite sample. However, the author’s also observed certain voids which were formed during printing process which contributed via trans-filament rupture. This composite showed lower strength (32 MPa) while in present work the ABS/30%SGF composite had no voids or pores due to which it had highest strength of 49.7 MPa. So, the main contributor to failure of composites was fiber cut-off and considering the flat edge formation at the failed tensile sample’s end [figure 8 (c)] and absence of features corresponding to plastic deformation explain brittle fracture for this composite. 3.5 Mechanical properties: Youngs modulus, Flexural strength The Young’s modulus of ABS and its composites with varying SGF content is shown in Fig. 9 (a). From the graph it is obvious that with the increase in SGF content the Young’s modulus was found to be increasing linearly. Neat ABS showed young’s modulus of 3.2 GPa which is significantly higher than other literatures have reported [ 32 , 40 ]. For instance, Weng et al.[ 40 ] reported the elastic modulus of the montmorillonite reinforced ABS composites. The FDM printed control sample showed an elastic modulus of 1.2 GPa, while is almost one third of value that reported in this work. The authors attributed this to voids between oval filaments which were formed during the printing process. From this comparison it is evident that the smaller number of pores and good bonding between the raster’s resulted in very high elastic modulus of 3.2 GPa. With the addition of 15% SGF content the ABS composite showed elastic modulus of 6.8 GPa. When compared with neat ABS, the elastic modulus have doubled which indicates substantial improvement. There are multiple reasons for enhancement of elastic modulus, first being addition of high strength and stiff SGF to ABS matrix and second one is significantly a smaller number of pores due to good bonding formed between the raster’s while FDM printing process. According to previously published literature the elastic modulus of SGF is in the range of 85.5 GPa to 86.9 GPa while that neat ABS is in the range of 0.8 GPa to 6.10 GPa. When such a stiff reinforcing phase is added to neat ABS then definitely one can expect an increase in elastic modulus of ABS matrix. This is what observed in present study, the incorporation of 15% SGF has doubled the elastic modulus of ABS matrix. On similar note the Hwang et al.[ 41 ] reported an increase in tensile modulus of ABS when copper and iron particles are added to it. The 3D printed ABS sample showed tensile modulus value of 0.88 GPa and with the addition of 10 wt.% Cu and Fe particles, the modulus value increased to 0.93 GPa and 0.90 GPa respectively. Further, just the addition of strong and stiff doesn’t simply improve the property, but the processing conditions must be opted in such a way that dispersion and bonding between reinforcing phase and matrix is good. If any voids or defects are formed, then elastic modulus of resulting composite will be compromised. However, an interesting work was reported by Perez et al. [ 26 ], where the authors studied the young’s modulus of jute and rubber reinforced ABS composites in vertical and horizontal directions. The samples tested in vertical direction showed significant drop in young’s modulus from 1.19 GPa for neat ABS to 0.87 GPa and 1.1 GPa for jute and rubber reinforced ABS composites, respectively. The samples tested in horizontal direction showed marginal increase in young’s modulus from 1.53 GPa for neat ABS to 1.54 GPa and 1.58 GPa for jute and rubber reinforced ABS composites, respectively. Presence of many craters and voids in the microstructure resulted in such poor elastic modulus values. Continuing further, the elastic modulus of ABS composite with 30% SGF content was found to be 10.2 GPa. When compared with the neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composite, the increment inelastic modulus was about 1.5 and 3 times for ABS/30%SGF composite. The improvement was quite significant and could be attributed to increase in SGF content from 15–30%. These well bonded and uniformly dispersed SGF by virtue of their high stiffness contributed to increase in the elastic modulus of ABS composite. The presence of large number of SGF, better blending using twin screw extruder and printing led to high entanglement of polymer chains which in turn contributed to substantial increase in elastic modulus [ 36 ]. Overall, the elastic modulus of neat ABS can be improved by adding SGF to it. Flexural tests were conducted to evaluate the impact of incorporating SGF into ABS at different ratios of weight between 15 percent and 30 percent on flexural strength of composites. Flexural strength is the outcome of a flexural test in accordance with the standard ASTM D790 while utilizing 3 mm/min of crosshead speed. Flexural strength isn't a fundamental material characteristic, however it's crucial in terms of structural applications. This is because it gives a material's overview when three basic material stress states are induced to it. When composites are put through flexural tests, it's been observed that they typically break down at the compression surfaces. This is because most composites have weak compression strength despite having extremely high tensile strength. In the flexural test, the primary source of the composites' compressive failure is fiber buckling. Figure 9 (b) depicts the flexural strength results for neat ABS and its SGF reinforced composites. The neat ABS showed a 39.2 MPa of flexural strength which’s quite in consistent with the literature. Weng et al.[ 40 ] examined ABS's flexural strength, and the sample used for this purpose was prepared in accordance with ASTM D790-03 standard. The strength of 3D printed neat ABS sample obtained after test was 42.6 MPa. Vidakis et al.[ 42 ] studied flexural strength for two different types of ABS samples printed in two different orientations (0° and 90°). Although the orientation of the printing exhibited very little impact on strength, the highest flexural strength rating, which was ~ 38 MPa, was for the production grade special ABS. In another work, the ABS of FDM printed flexural strength was found to be 10.5 MPa which is considerably low when compared to present work [ 43 ]. In the same research, the author’s generated neat ABS using compression molding, resulting in flexural strength that was nearly identical to that obtained from FDM printed ABS. Multiple studies have revealed various neat ABS flexural strength values, and the difference is significant. When compared with the present work the value is quite good and on the higher side. Further, the flexural strength of ABS has been enhanced to 55 MPa with the inclusion of 15% SGF content. Compared to neat ABS, the improvement was about 40.3% which is a considerable improvement in the strength. The flexural strength enhancement can be attributed to the toughening effects induced by the SGF. The strength of ABS composite, however, is dependent on both the dispersion of SGF in ABS and the bonding between its constituent parts, not just the presence of SGF. The interfacial relationship between FDM printing and interfacial bonding was clearly visible in SEM micrographs, and it was discovered that there was no sign of agglomeration in the uniform distribution of SGFs in the ABS matrix. There were no microporosities in these areas, and the interface has been discovered to be continuous and clean. With good bonding the stress propagation from ABS matrix to high strength SGF is quite efficient and better. This allowed the composite to support greater loads, which is realized in the flexural strength value which is been improved. This finding is well-supported by the work reported by Liang[ 44 ] on ABS reinforced with hollow glass beads. According to the author, the flexural strength enhanced from 35.5 MPa to 38.4 MPa as hollow glass beads' volume fraction enhanced from 0–15%. The improvement in strength was attributable to the hollow glass bead’s strong adherence to the ABS matrix. However, The ABS matrix's strength does not always increase when reinforcements are added. The inclusion of the particles leather powder reduced ABS’s flexural strength values. The neat ABS had a strength value of 61.43 MPa while with the addition of 15 wt.% of leather powder particles it decreased to 54.33 MPa. Such significant drop in strength was attributed to difference in polarities between the materials which caused poor interfacial bonding [ 45 ]. The highest flexural strength was found in the ABS/30%SGF composites, which was 62 MPa and substantially greater than pure ABS. When compared with neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composite, the increment in strength was about 58.2% and 12.7%, respectively. With the increase SGF content from 15–30%, the ABS composite is found to be more toughened. Such a significant increment in strength was also observed when a substantial quantity (20 wt.%) of basalt fiber had been included to the ABS matrix [ 46 ]. The value of the neat ABS was 76.7 ± 1.35 MPa while basalt fiber reinforced composite had a value of 90.7 ± 2.22 MPa. Authors stated that adding basalt fiber boosted flexural strength and that adhesion between the basalt fiber and ABS matrix had little to no bearing on this, it was a fascinating observation. However, in many cases the increase in weight percentage of reinforcing phase didn’t give good results. For instance, Vidakis et al. [ 47 ] have studied the flexural strength of an ABS with micron and nano size ZnO particles inclusion. It was found that neat ABS had a value of 46.8 ± 2.2 MPa while nano and micron size ZnO particles reinforced ABS composites showed 43.2 ± 0.9 MPa and 46.1 ± 3.8 MPa respectively. Although the authors didn’t mention the reason behind decrease in the composite’s flexural strength with such large percentage of ZnO particles but in such cases, it's primarily owing to the clustering of particles. The particle cluster acts as stress concentration regions and crack initiation is quite easy here. As a result of good interfacial bonding and dispersion of SGF within ABS matrix, ABS composites with SGF have increased flexural strength. 4. Conclusions The present study investigated the influence of short glass fiber reinforcement on the microstructure, tensile strength, impact resistance, and flexural properties of ABS composites fabricated using the fused deposition modelling technique. Therefore, the following conclusions are presented in this regard. The fabrication of composites involved a two-stage process: mixing and extrusion using a twin-screw extruder, followed by Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) to create ABS and SGF-reinforced composites. Uniform distribution of short glass fibers (SGF) was observed in the extruded filaments, with no evidence of fiber clustering. The ABS matrix showed strong interfacial bonding with SGF, evidenced by the absence of gaps at the fiber-matrix interface. The layered construction in FDM-printed parts demonstrated excellent interlayer bonding, with ABS effectively enveloping the fibers to prevent pore formation between the rasters. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) was significantly enhanced with SGF inclusion, peaking at 49.7 MPa for the ABS/30%SGF composite, showcasing the strength benefits of fiber reinforcement. Conversely, the presence of SGF negatively affected material elongation, with the ABS/30%SGF composite showing the least flexibility, likely due to restricted polymer chain mobility. A substantial increase in elastic modulus was observed, particularly for the ABS/30%SGF composite, which exhibited a modulus 1.5 to 3 times higher than that of neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composites, respectively. Fractured tensile specimens revealed a transition from ductile fracture in neat ABS to brittle fracture in SGF composites, with the latter lacking plastic deformation features. Flexural strength was highest in the ABS/30%SGF composite, which also showed superior fiber-matrix bonding and fiber dispersion, leading to a 58.2% and 12.7% strength improvement over neat ABS and the ABS/15%SGF composites, respectively. In summary, the incorporation of short glass fibers into the pure ABS material yielded advantageous outcomes. The utilization of fused deposition modelling in conjunction with fiber reinforcement yielded a notable improvement in the mechanical properties, surpassing those exhibited by pure ABS materials. Declarations Ethics approval The authors claim that there are no ethical issues involved in this research. Consent to participate All the authors consent to participate in this research and contribute to the research. Consent for publication All the authors consent to publish the research. There are no potential copyright/plagiarism issues involved in this research. Conflicts of interest/competing interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Funding This research received no external funding. Author contribution: Shrishail Kakkeri: Writing – original draft, Conceptualization, Validation, Methodology, Investigation. Namdev Ashok Patil: Writing – review & editing, Conceptualization, Investigation, Formal analysis. M. M. Benal: Writing – review & editing, Investigation, Formal analysis. Sambhaji Kusekar: Writing – review & editing. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7279914","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":499413363,"identity":"05703777-4adb-49ef-9d10-cad767ca3cd3","order_by":0,"name":"Shrishail Kakkeri","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shrishail","middleName":"","lastName":"Kakkeri","suffix":""},{"id":499413364,"identity":"89afdc7a-4311-481c-929c-c4c3d5cd9cc2","order_by":1,"name":"Namdev Patil","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Namdev","middleName":"","lastName":"Patil","suffix":""},{"id":499413365,"identity":"afe04a0a-7cc3-4d2e-b435-4a40f793ed0b","order_by":2,"name":"Mahagundappa Benal","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mahagundappa","middleName":"","lastName":"Benal","suffix":""},{"id":499413366,"identity":"c909dd58-cf38-48fe-abdf-3984831c8996","order_by":3,"name":"Sambhaji Kusekar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sambhaji","middleName":"","lastName":"Kusekar","suffix":""},{"id":499413367,"identity":"4cb00244-807f-4750-8d64-3a18bb966f8d","order_by":4,"name":"Sainand Jadhav","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA6ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFCCAwzSQFJOAknIgCgtxqRoYQBrSZxBtBb5xsMPbxfUHE6f2d577MGHP3aJDezN2yTwaTE4cMzYesaxw7mzec6lG85sS05s4DlWhl8LwwEzaR62tNx5Ejlm0rwNzLkNQAZeLfINx79J8/xLS5eTf2Mm/edPfW4DkIFXC8OBM0DD22wSpCV4zKQZ2A4DbeHBr8XgwJlia94+G8OZPTlmkr1tx+vbeNKKLfA6bMbxjbd5vknISxw/Yybx40+1MT/74Y038DpM4gCaABte5SDA30BQySgYBaNgFIx0AAAWRkd13I92BQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1913-8769","institution":"Kennesaw State University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sainand","middleName":"","lastName":"Jadhav","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-08-02 18:32:28","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7279914/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7279914/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-026-17565-0","type":"published","date":"2026-02-25T15:57:47+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":89474667,"identity":"b5597a61-ed8e-4c17-9d01-8ee6e9282a79","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:17:24","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":217191,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(a) ABS Pallete macrograph, (b) Properties of ABS \u003c/strong\u003e[19]\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/7a9a8a9801881cda92d6b84f.png"},{"id":89474670,"identity":"a3d49f3e-66ad-4fc6-ab3b-34563eab13ec","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:17:24","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":373978,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(a) Short glass fiber macrograph, (b) SEM\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eof as received short glass fiber\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/7565f3c66aeed2194b3eaee0.png"},{"id":89475474,"identity":"17781da6-e9fe-42b6-b65e-f278167a8c5f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:25:24","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":264504,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(a) Tensile specimen dimensions, (b) Printed tensile specimens\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/c616925c860c6d6250ef0f52.png"},{"id":89474672,"identity":"c4149342-0dfa-4852-9ecd-3094fc898388","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:17:24","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":787771,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSEM images of top view, cross-section and external surface of ABS/15%SGF (a, c, e, g) and ABS/30%SGF filaments (b, d, f, h)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/380be297fdc916c3e38ffb53.png"},{"id":89474673,"identity":"780aa84a-64ed-4acc-8788-8625634f6629","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:17:24","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":753032,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSEM images of FDM printed parts with ABS (a, b), ABS/15%SGF (c, d), and ABS/30%SGF (e, f) filaments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/c6b07548c344de8ea2175a8b.png"},{"id":89475601,"identity":"5528e896-884d-4ef5-9019-f642ae7397ba","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:33:24","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":231958,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(a) Stress-strain curves, (b) Ultimate strength comparison, (c) Elongation comparison for neat ABS and its composites\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/8197e4dca299dfd40c772ad3.png"},{"id":89475477,"identity":"08d59c1d-af6b-4144-a2c9-c13933b36d3e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:25:24","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":279676,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFailed tensile samples of (a) ABS (b) ABS/15%SGF (c) ABS/30%SGF\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/55d4577c06cf276eacef4e34.png"},{"id":89474678,"identity":"9beff552-6b2c-4604-8463-53170bd3c81f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:17:24","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":747162,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSEM micrographs of failed tensile samples of (a) ABS (b - c) ABS/15%SGF (d - f) ABS/30%SGF\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/d9ba2e25a1586e659e78058a.png"},{"id":89475480,"identity":"26cf4986-4033-4597-907b-e5cdce900bb5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-20 10:25:24","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":62058,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariation of young’s modulus(a) and flexural strength (b) with short glass fiber content\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/c83c02a2e23acd6a8b5c09bc.png"},{"id":103766768,"identity":"82d804f3-d24b-4c76-ba38-6c6a9a33091f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-02 16:15:55","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4676940,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7279914/v1/83c7a166-41f1-4fbc-a7d9-d1444fc51fc5.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Investigation of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced 3D Printed Polymer Composites","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn response to the market's need for materials that outperform traditional materials in terms of both quality and benefits, composite materials are developed. Composite materials, which are made of multiple parts integrated in a novel way, have become a vital element in numerous areas of technology, science and engineering. These feature an extensive number of special characteristics and capabilities that render them an exceptional product in addition to making them extremely appealing to their clients. The composite materials market is experiencing significant growth. This growth is driven by increasing demand across various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. Composite materials outperform conventional materials. The composites' toughness, stiffness as well as tensile strength can be increased by employing reinforcing fibers having a high degree of strength which have been embedded within the matrix material [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Another significant advantage of composite materials is that they may be custom designed to meet the needs of certain applications, providing an extra benefit. Due to this advancement, lightweight structures can now be designed without compromising performance. Composite materials are also excellent for structurally demanding applications due to their exceptional durability and resistance to fatigue. The properties of composite materials can be maximized by selecting appropriate reinforcing fibers, matrix materials, and how those are blended to accomplish the targeted characteristics, such as corrosion resistance, fire resistance, thermal and electrical conductivity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. Composites are adaptable substances with a variety of uses because they may be customized to fit specific needs. Weight reduction is an added advantage of composites, making it considered to be their primary feature. A material made from a composite that is built with low density and lightweight reinforcing fibers could have a high strength-to-weight ratio. In sectors including transportation, automotive as well as aerospace, the reduced weight results in better fuel economy, increased cargo capacity, and enhanced performance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. Lightweight composite materials reduce energy consumption and emissions as well as their environmental impact.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, has transformed the landscape of modern manufacturing by enabling the production of complex geometries, rapid prototyping, and material-efficient designs [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. Additive manufacturing offers a level of design flexibility that has never been achievable, which includes the manufacture of intricate structures and intricate shapes which may prove extremely difficult or hard to produce with standard manufacturing techniques. A key advantage of this freedom is that it allows component performance to be optimized, weight to be reduced, and multiple functionalities to be incorporated into a single part, thereby resulting in a reduction in assembly and increased productivity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Customization and fine-tuning of the material's properties are another significant benefit. Additive manufacturing is a process that enables polymer materials, fibers, or particles to be embedded within polymer matrixes with an enormous degree of control over their composition, distribution, and orientation. This capability of customization allows the production of polymer composites with tailored characteristics, which offers improved performance and functionality for a variety of applications [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. Among the various AM techniques, Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) has gained widespread use due to its cost-effectiveness, ease of operation, and compatibility with a wide range of thermoplastic materials [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is one such thermoplastic commonly used in FDM owing to its good impact resistance, thermal stability, and mechanical strength [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. However, ABS parts printed via FDM often suffer from limited mechanical properties, dimensional inaccuracy, and interlayer adhesion issues, restricting their suitability for high-performance applications [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]. To address these limitations, the reinforcement of ABS with fibers such as carbon, Aramid, and glass has been explored to enhance its mechanical performance and structural integrity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. Glass fiber (GF) is an attractive reinforcement due to its high tensile strength, stiffness, thermal resistance, and relatively low cost. With low thermal expansion and good dimensional stability, SGF fibers (4.5\u0026ndash;4.9 GPa strength, 85\u0026ndash;90 GPa modulus, 2.4 g/cm\u0026sup3; density) suit high-temperature applications [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. When incorporated into thermoplastic matrices like ABS, glass fibers can significantly improve the mechanical properties, making the composite more suitable for load-bearing and structural applications [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecent studies have shown that fiber-reinforced polymer composites fabricated via FDM exhibit enhanced tensile and flexural properties compared to pure polymers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. However, challenges remain in achieving uniform fiber distribution, strong fiber-matrix adhesion, and controlling void formation during the FDM process. Additionally, the anisotropic nature of FDM-printed components, resulting from the layer-by-layer deposition, contributes to variability in mechanical performance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. Understanding the effects of these factors on microstructure and mechanical behavior is crucial for the advancement of FDM-printed composite materials. This study aims to investigate the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of glass fiber reinforced ABS polymer composites fabricated by FDM. To enhance comprehension of the dispersion and arrangement of the SGF within the ABS matrix, the microstructure of composite filament was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For mechanical properties characterization tensile test and flexural test were conducted. These tests were carried out in compliance with the standards established by the ASTM. Furthermore, the composite samples were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze the surfaces of fractured tensile specimens. The objective of this work was to identify the failure processes and fracture patterns of SGF-reinforced polymer composites that were manufactured utilizing the FDM method. SEM examination can provide a comprehensive understanding of the bonding between the SGF and ABS matrix, as well as the distribution and orientation of the SGF within the composites.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Materials and Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.1 Materials, equipment, and process parameters\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe raw materials used in this paper are ABS pellets and SGF. The macrograph of ABS pellets is depicted in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e(a). Furthermore, the properties of ABS are illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e(b) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. These properties play a role in facilitating the extensive utilization of ABS in various industries and manufacturing procedures. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e(a) and (b) shows the macrograph and SEM image of short glass fiber. To prepare the filaments, ABS pellets were first dried at 120\u0026deg;C for 2 hours. After drying, the pellets were compounded with predetermined amounts of short glass fiber (SGF). These mixtures were fed into a laboratory-grade twin-screw compounding machine. For filament extrusion, a single-screw, double-rod extruder equipped with a 1.75 mm diameter cylindrical die was used. A prep-mixer operated at 50 rpm and 225\u0026deg;C was employed to blend ABS pellets with 15 wt.% and 30 wt.% SGF. A neat ABS sample was also prepared under identical processing conditions for comparison. The compounded mixtures were then extruded into preforms using the twin-screw extruder set at 220\u0026deg;C. During the final extrusion for FDM filament fabrication, the barrel temperature was maintained between 200\u0026ndash;230\u0026deg;C.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) process utilizes a filament or wire as the primary material, which is fed into a nozzle or extrusion head. The filament is heated to a semi-liquid or molten state, typically just above its melting point. The molten thermoplastic material is then extruded through a nozzle. During the extrusion process, the molten material is deposited layer by layer, and rapid cooling takes place upon deposition to achieve the final product. In this study, an ABS\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;SGF polymer composite filament (0%, 15%, 30%) was extruded from the nozzle at a temperature of 248\u0026deg;C. This filament was used to print the tensile specimens with dimensions depicted in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e(a). For the FDM printing process, Prusa i3 and Praman printers from Global 3D labs in Bangalore were utilized. These printers feature an enclosed chamber with a capacity of 300cm\u003csup\u003e3\u003c/sup\u003e, ensuring a controlled environment for the printing process. Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e provides an overview of the technical specifications of the FDM printer that was employed for printing. By carefully selecting and optimizing these parameters, the development of accurate and high-quality 3D models was achieved. The chosen concentric infill pattern with a density of 100 percent ensures robustness and structural integrity in the printed parts, making them suitable for the intended application.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnical specifications of prusa i3 FDM printer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnology\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFused Deposition Modelling\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrint Size\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e160mm * 160mm * 180mm\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCompatible Materials\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eABS, PC, PLA, PET-G etc\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrint Resolution\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.1 mm/100 Microns\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHot-end Type\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSingle Extruder\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNozzle-Type\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrass\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNozzle Max. Temp.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e260\u0026deg;C\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMax. Bed Temp.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100\u0026deg;C\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWorking Ambient Temp.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u0026ndash;40\u0026deg;C\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eConnectivity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSD-Card/USB\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePower\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInput Voltage: 220 V,50Hz Input Current: 5\u0026ndash;6 Amp.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.2 Experimental test procedures\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDog bone shaped tensile specimens with dimensions depicted in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e(a) adhering to ASTM D638 standard were printed. The tensile test was conducted by the National Analytical Laboratories and Research Centre in Bangalore, following the standardized procedure outlined in ASTM D638. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of SGF concentration in ABS on the tensile strength of proposed composite material. Tensile tests were carried out on the FIE make universal tensile machine. The Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e(b) showcases the photograph of printed tensile specimens.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFlexural specimens were meticulously designed and developed in strict adherence to the guidelines outlined in ASTM D790 standard. To conduct the experiment, a 3-point loading system was employed to apply the load onto a simply supported specimen. This loading configuration ensures that the load is distributed evenly across the specimen's width, allowing for accurate measurement of flexural properties. The universal tensile material testing system was utilized to carry out the tests, providing a reliable and versatile platform for material characterization. During the experiment, a controlled crosshead speed of 3 mm/min was maintained. This deliberate choice of speed ensures a consistent and uniform rate of loading, minimizing the potential for any sudden stress concentrations or fluctuations that could affect the test results. The flexural test aimed to determine the material's resistance to bending or flexing, providing insights into its structural integrity and performance under different loading conditions. The key parameters such as flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and deformation behavior were measured.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Results and Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn this section, microstructure analysis of ABS with and without glass fiber filaments and printed parts is presented. Further the mechanical behavior is investigated by using tensile and flexural tests along with macro and microstructure analysis of fractured tensile specimens. The discussion on how glass fiber influences the printing process and mechanical behavior is provided in detail.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.1 Microstructure analysis of filaments\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo understand the dispersion and bonding of SGF with the ABS matrix, the electron microscopy analysis was carried out. The SEM micrographs of top view and cross-section of ABS/x-SGF composites are presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(a - h). The top view of complete filament with 15% and 30% SGF content is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(a) and (b), respectively. From this view, the dispersion of SGF seems to be uniform with no region showing clustering of SGF\u0026rsquo;s in both the composites. The surface appears to have no pores or voids in the matrix or between the fibers. Further high magnification micrographs were taken, and it was observed that both the composites had good dispersion of SGF in the ABS matrix as illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(c) and (d). It is critical in composites that the reinforcing phase is evenly distributed throughout the matrix phase. The micrographs did show good dispersion in the ABS matrix without any clustering or any fiber free zones. The uniform dispersion of SGF\u0026rsquo;s could be attributed to the shearing force induced by the extruder. The shearing force uncoils the bundles of SGF and disperses them uniformly in the ABS matrix. This is the main advantage of twin screw extruder which helps in proper and uniform mixing of different constituents of composites. Further the micrographs showed that filaments were virtually free of pores or any other processing defects. In general, it is observed in composites that with the increase in reinforcing phase content the porosity percentage tend to increase due to introduction of large number of interfaces. In some cases, the neat polymer could depict pores or processing defects if the manufacturing process parameters adopted are unsuitable. For instance, Singh et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e] reported microstructure analysis of ABS-EG polymer filament developed under different processing conditions. The extrusion process involved extrusion of filaments by varying barrel temperature, screw speed and take-up speed. The developed filaments showed considerable amount of air pockets and as their numbers increased, the mechanical properties of filament decreased. On the other hand, Zhang et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e] reported structural analysis of carbon fiber and nanotubes reinforced ABS composites filaments using SEM. The authors observed some pores in the carbon fiber reinforced composite filaments while the neat ABS and composite filament reinforced with nanotubes showed no such pores. Both studies strongly urge optimizing process parameters in filament extrusion to eliminate processing-related defects. So, it is undesirable to have such defects which could be formed either due to unsuitable process parameters or due to the introduction of reinforcing material. Such defects could limit the load bearing capacity of the material leading to poor performance. However, from Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(c) and (d), it is quite clear that both composites contain no such defects. This implies the selected extrusion parameters were optimum enough to produce better quality neat ABS and composite filaments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(e) and (f) shows the SEM micrographs of cross-section of ABS/x-SGF composites with 15% and 30% SGF content. The interfacial bonding between SGF and ABS matrix is quite strong, as there is no gap at the interface between these constituents. The fibers seem to be intact with no physical damage such as kink formation due to extrusion process. During uncoiling process there are high chances of kink formation in the fibers due to application of shear force by the extruder. As the SGF content increases the interaction among the fibers also increases which could introduce kink in large number of fibers. However, the present extrusion conditions were optimum enough to introduce shear force that uncoiled the fibers but insufficient to form kinks in them. Further, the fibers were aligned in the direction of extrusion which is crucial from the point of view of mechanical and physical properties. An interesting point to be noted is that with the increase in SGF content the spacing between fibers appears to decrease. However, this decrease in distance hasn\u0026rsquo;t introduced any kind of pores in between the fiber which is quite evident from Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(c) and (d) as well. On the other hand, Weng et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e] detected inadequate adhesion of carbon fiber with the ABS matrix and a considerable gap was observed between them. However, authors didn\u0026rsquo;t elaborate the poor adhesion of carbon fibers in the composite filament. Finally, the extruded composite filament\u0026rsquo;s external surface was visible in the SEM micrographs provided in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(g) and (h). The micrographs support the claim made in macroscopic analysis that the filament surface had smooth texture. For better and defect free surface finish the extrusion parameters such as viscosity should not be too low or high enough to cause non-uniform flow, intermittent blockages or plastic leaking at the nozzle end, during extrusion process. Under such circumstances the defects formed are classified as interlaminar, intralaminar and high surface finish. For example, Milosevic et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e] found it difficult to extrude polypropylene composites containing 20% and 30% harakeke and hemp fibers. The authors noticed accumulation of these natural fibers at the extruder infeed which led to congestion and improper melt flow. The filament surface showed discontinuous scales of composites and some fibers protruding out of it. In another work, Singamneni et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e] studied the effect of varying wood flour particles on dimensions and surface finishing of polybutyrate-adipate-terephthalate-polymer (PBAT) matrix composites. The authors found good stability in extruding the filaments with lower particle content, however when it was increased to 20% certain difficulties were observed. For instance, filament diameter was changing continuously, and the filament became wavy at certain locations. However, in present study the appropriate viscosity or more specifically the extrusion temperature opted led to continuous flow resulting in filaments with smooth texture and better surface finish with no visible defects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.2 Microstructure analysis of printed parts\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe SEM images of FDM printed parts of ABS and its composites with different SGF content are shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(a-f). The primary purpose of conducting SEM analysis was to evaluate the surface and bonding quality. The SEM images of neat ABS printed part depicted in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(a). The surface of the part appears quite rough with considerable amount of waviness. The bonding between the raster's and layers is not clearly visible in the micrograph, hence high magnification SEM micrograph was captured to get detailed view of raster's and layers. As seen in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(b), the bonding between the layers is quite good with exception of micro-porosities seen at few locations. The adhesion or formation of bond between the ABS raster\u0026rsquo;s and layers is affected by the thermal energy of the ABS being extruded through nozzle of the FDM printer. This implies that the temperature plays an important role in the bonding quality. There are two main temperature-driven bonding mechanisms such as molecular diffusion between the raster\u0026rsquo;s at the interface and neck growth steered by the surface tension which decides the bonding quality [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. Both the mechanisms play an equally important role in achieving good bonding between the raster\u0026rsquo;s as well as layers. During deposition process the temperature of ABS raster remains above its glass transition temperature for longer duration. This condition facilitates the intermolecular diffusion across the interface and at one point of time the interface disappears at several locations or tends to cease where one can see the triangular shaped voids. The ceasing of interface and observation of triangular shaped voids will be covered in the fracture analysis section.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurther, as the temperature of raster remains higher than glass transition temperature there is neck growth between the adjacent ABS raster\u0026rsquo;s. Deposition of raster\u0026rsquo;s at optimum temperature of 230\u0026deg;C led to larger neck growth and better molecular diffusion due to which the number of voids seen between the interface of raster\u0026rsquo;s or layers is very less [refer Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(b)]. On the other hand, ABS composite filament with 15% SGF content as shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(c) showed slightly higher rough surface with some micro-porosities in between the layers. Apart from this the bond between the layers was quite good with no considerable gap visible between them [refer Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(d)]. It is well known that addition of fibrous material to the polymer can create voids as some of the fibers undergo decomposition during twin screw extrusion or printing process. For instance, the jute fiber which is used as reinforcement for ABS matrix undergoes decomposition when the processing temperature of 180\u0026deg;C is reached [\u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR27\" citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]. This results in breakdown of cellulose and generation of combustion gases leading formation of the voids. But in the present study the SGF is used as reinforcing phase, and it is known for its better heat resistance, chemical stability and thermal insulation properties. The degradation temperature of SGF is well above 1000\u0026deg;C and it doesn\u0026rsquo;t lose strength until the temperature is reached more than 400\u0026deg;C [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. So, there is an extremely little likelihood of SGF getting decomposed which could otherwise have nucleated the voids in the composite. However, no significant difference is observed between neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composite as both displayed almost identical surface appearance. The SEM images of FDM printed parts of ABS/30%SGF composite is shown in the Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(e \u0026ndash; f). It can be noticed that increasing the SGF percentage from 15\u0026ndash;30% improves the appearance of the printed parts significantly. Unlike ABS and ABS/15%SGF composite, here the surface is less rough, and the number of pores observed is very less. Despite the large weight percentage of SGF, the ABS seemed to have covered the fibers uniformly and avoided pore formation at interface between the raster\u0026rsquo;s or layers. As evident from Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e(f), There were no significant gaps or pores between the layers, indicating strong bonding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.3 Mechanical properties: Ultimate strength, Elongation\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe effect of reinforcement of SGF to the ABS on mechanical properties was studied by conducting tensile tests. The stress-strain curves for all FDM printed tensile samples of neat ABS and its composites are shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e(a). The curves clearly show that the stress required deforming the samples increased with the addition of SGF. As the SGF concentration in the ABS expanded from 15\u0026ndash;30%, the stress level further enhanced. However, the tensile strain tends to decrease when the SGF is included in the ABS matrix. The curve corresponding to neat ABS showed almost linear increase with the increase in stress. On the other hand, the composites showed no appreciable deformation prior to failure, indicating the substantial improvement in modulus and strength because of the introduction of SGF.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e(b) illustrates the ABS and its composite\u0026rsquo;s ultimate tensile strength (UTS) variation with SGF's weight percentage within the ABS matrix. A significant change in the strength of ABS has been noticed after the incorporation of SGF into it. From Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e(b) it is evident that the addition of SGF has a positive influence on the UTS of ABS matrix. For neat ABS the UTS was about\u0026thinsp;~\u0026thinsp;28.3 MPa which is in accordance with the UTS reported by other researchers. Perez et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e] reported UTS in the range of 14.1 to 28.5 MPa of neat ABS when tensile tests were conducted at 10 mm/min strain rate. In study by Vidakis et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e] reported tensile strength of ~\u0026thinsp;27 MPa for 3D printed neat ABS when tested at same strain rate. In the present work, the neat ABS showed slightly higher UTS value as presented by the aforesaid research studies. The ABS matrix's UTS value enhanced from 28.5 MPa to ~\u0026thinsp;37 MPa when SGF of 15% had been reinforced into it. It indicates that the UTS value for ABS matrix has increased by 29.8% as a result of the inclusion of 15% SGF content. The UTS boosted to an amount of ~\u0026thinsp;49.7 MPa as the content of SGF had been increased further from 15\u0026ndash;30%. The strength improvement over neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF was 74.4% and 34.3%, respectively. In comparison to both materials, UTS increased significantly. As compared to neat ABS, the 30%SGF inclusion has significantly increased UTS of ABS matrix. This is mostly due to the fact that, the reinforcing phase carries most of the tensile load under external loading conditions. The effectiveness of the reinforcing phase's load carrying capability is dependent on several variables, including the matrix's wetting of the reinforcement, the reinforcing phase's dispersion, and the content of reinforcement. For example, the UTS of ABS decreased from 28.5 MPa to 25.9 MPa when 5% jute was added to it. The drop in UTS was attributed to decomposition of fibers and formation of numerous voids [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]. In another work [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e], UTS of ABS decreased as a result of the inclusion of graphene nanoplatelets. The reinforcement content varied from 0.5\u0026ndash;10% but none of the combinations showed UTS higher than neat ABS which was attributed formation of graphene agglomerates. However, SGF are known for their high tensile strength value of ~\u0026thinsp;4585 MPa and load bearing capacity due to its high silica content [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. SGF\u0026rsquo;s strength is therefore high, and it's been anticipated that its introduction into the ABS matrix will contribute to an increase in strength. Additionally, SGF have excellent chemical stability as well as decomposition temperatures, and moreover one can anticipate that they will retain their shape and strength even at high temperatures. As opposed to alternative reinforcements, which tend to agglomerate or breakdown during the twin screw extruder blending process [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, as the content of SGF expanded from 15\u0026ndash;30%, the load-bearing ability of ABS composite enhanced. The composite has a lower load carrying capability when SGF content is just 15%, but once the content of SGF rises to 30%, there're more load carrying fibers present, allowing the composite to bear more loads than ABS with 15% SGF composite. Higher reinforcement content does not mean higher UTS, since dispersion and bonding problems increase with higher reinforcement content. But both in the filament and the 3D printed part, there was a strong interfacial bond and homogeneous SGF dispersion.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite the increase in SGF content, neither agglomeration nor damage were observed on the fiber surface [refer Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e(d) and (f)] after the blending process. There was no evidence of broken fibers protruding from the surface of the part after printing. No problem forming at all, because of either poor mixing or printing parameters or any sign of significant pores that might otherwise appear on the surface of the part after printing. At the SGF and ABS matrix contact, there wasn't any gap, and the interfacial bonding was additionally strong. This suggests that the SGF were tightly packed within the ABS matrix, a structure that may withstand significant strain and inhibit the onset of cracks. These factors led to the ABS/30%SGF composite exhibiting a higher UTS. A comparable observation has been made by Hamzah et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e] on their work on zinc ferrite reinforced BAS composites developed using 3D printing technique. The composites' tensile strength enhanced from 13.04 MPa to 24.29 MPa as the zinc ferrite content was increased from 8\u0026ndash;14%. Strength was deemed to have increased because of the number of load carrying members and their good interfacial bonding with the ABS matrix. UTS increased significantly because of SGF's inclusion in the ABS matrix overall.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e(c), ABS and its composites exhibited varying elongations at break depending on their SGF content. The figure shows that when SGF content rises from 15\u0026ndash;30%, the elongation at break tends to decrease. The highest value of ~\u0026thinsp;17.5% was recorded for neat ABS which is quite high when compared with the previously published literature [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]. As perceived by Francis et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e], for neat ABS, the elongation at break was approximately 5.8%, which is significantly lower than present work. In similar scenario, Hamzah et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e] obtained a value of 6.37% for neat ABS developed via 3D printing technique. Although the authors in the aforesaid references didn\u0026rsquo;t specify the reason for low elongation value but again one should understand it all depends on the adhesion between raster\u0026rsquo;s and the layers. The probable reason is limited contact points between the raster\u0026rsquo;s due to which they might have failed at low elongation values under tensile load. The SGF inclusion resulted in a decline in the value of elongation compared to the neat ABS. For instance, the ABS/15%SGF composite showed an elongation value of 12.5%. When compared with the neat ABS, about 28.5% decline in the elongation at break had been found for this composite. Sezer et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e], found that when 10% MWCNTs was added to ABS, its elongation value decreased from 4.4\u0026ndash;3.6%. When 10% MWCNT had been incorporated into ABS, the elongation at break decreased by roughly 18.2%. In case of 3D printed parts, the low elongation values are generally due to poor or limited contact between the raster\u0026rsquo;s and presence of porosity. But in present study, microstructure analysis showed very good bonding between raster\u0026rsquo;s and raster/SGF. Further the quantity of micro-porosities seen in the microstructure is very less so the decrease in the elongation cannot be attributed to these factors. Yuan et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e] described that with the addition of reinforcing phase to the polymeric matrix or more specifically melt, there are high chances of increase in the melt viscosity. Due to the increase in the melt viscosity the consolidation of melt might not be as good as neat polymeric material. Such region where insufficient fusion takes place, the possibility of micro defect including void generation is quite easy which leads to brittle failure of composite [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. However, by observing the microstructures of filaments and 3D printed parts, it is quite clear that the insufficient fusion regions and large pores are absent. In such scenario the main reason for decrease in the elongation at break is restriction to the movement of ABS molecular chains by SGF. The mobility of ABS molecular chains is greatly reduced due to the presence of SGF which makes composite stiffer than neat ABS eventually leading to reduction in elongation at break of the ABS/15%SGF composite. Furthermore, the elongation at break dramatically decreased as the SGF level was raised from 15\u0026ndash;30%. Compared to neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composites, ABS/30%SGF composites had an elongation of 6%, corresponding decrease of 65.7% and 52%, respectively. Similar to that of ABS/15%SGF composite, here in this case, also the presence of large amount of SGF content poses huge restriction to the movement of ABS molecular chains.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe number of restriction points is quite higher in this composite due to the large amount of SGF content (30%) which is why the drop in elongation at break is quite large. These reasons collectively cause the significant decrease in the elongation at break of ABS/30%SGF composite. Similar observation has been reported by Ahmed et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e], where increase in carbon fiber content from 15\u0026ndash;20% led to a decrease in elongation at break from 1.9\u0026ndash;1.65% while the neat ABS showed a value of 7.1%. The author attributed such low value of elongations due to the addition of high aspect ratio of carbon fiber which tends to drop the strain of ABS composite. On a similar note, Ahmed et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e] also reported decrease in elongation when organically modified montmorillonite nanoparticles are added to ABS matrix. When 0.3% and 0.5% nanoparticles are added by weight, the elongation of ABS composites decreased from 5.8% for neat ABS to 4.8% and 4.5% respectively. The authors attributed such drop to the restriction to movement of ABS molecular chains by nanoparticles. Overall, the addition of reinforcing phase to a polymer matrix increases strength but it also causes significant reduction in elongation. This strength-elongation trade-off is not new in polymer composites, and it is very difficult to obtain both simultaneous increment in strength and elongation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.4 Fractography analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter the tensile test all the samples were subjected to microscopy analysis to understand the failure mechanism composites. First, the failed samples were photographed to provide a macrostructural insight. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e displays images of ABS and its composites tensile samples that failed. From these photographs the first point to be noted is that with SGF inclusion and enhancement in its content from 15\u0026ndash;30% had shown a transition from ductile to brittle fracture behavior. The ductile behavior of neat ABS which was evident from its high elongation value of ~\u0026thinsp;17.5%, was also visible in the fractured surface. The fractured tensile sample corresponding to neat ABS showed occurrence of breakage at the gauge section and considerable necking prior to the failure [figure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e(a)]. The stretching and reorientation of polymer chains help neat ABS to attain high deformation and main reason for necking in the tensile sample. On the other hand, the ABS/15%SGF composite showed some amount of necking but not as that of neat ABS. As seen in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e(b), fracture surface of composite showed necking which implies that it possessed considerable amount of elongation. This is well backed up by the elongation value (12.5%) obtained after the tensile test.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite the addition of large amount of SGF to ABS, the composite displayed ductile behavior while in some cases even the addition of small amount of 1wt% of reinforcing phase the composite displayed brittle behavior. The ABS composites developed by Sezer et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e] using 3D printing displayed brittle fracture when it was loaded with 1wt% MWCNT. This explains that addition alone will not influence properties but the interaction between reinforcing phase and matrix such bonding between them and dispersion of reinforcing phase in matrix will also dictate the properties. In this regard it can be said that bonding between SGF and ABS was good and dispersion of SGF was uniform throughout the ABS matrix which imparted the ability to undergo plastic deformation. In the case of ABS/30%SGF composite the fractured ends were nearly flat, indicating brittle failure. Unlike other samples where considerable necking was observed here necking was not seen [Figure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e(c)]. This could be attributed to high level of cross-linking of polymeric chains resulting from addition of SGF. Due to cross-linking the sample didn\u0026rsquo;t show plastic deformation which was quite evident from low elongation value of 6%. Due to aforesaid reasons the ABS/30%SGF composite showed a brittle fracture. One can observe that there is transition from ductile fracture for neat ABS to brittle fracture for ABS/30%SGF composite. This observation is well supported by the work reported by[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e] et al. on 3D printed ABS composites reinforced with jute fiber and TiO2 particles. The author found that the addition of reinforcing led to a reduction in freedom to undergo plastic deformation. This is in turn shown as a brittle type failure for ABS composites while ABS showed ductile failure.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe SEM micrographs of surfaces of fractured tensile specimens of ABS and its composites are shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e(a-f). The neat ABS samples exhibited ductile failure as depicted in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e(a), the SEM image conveyed the same showing tear ridges resulting from the deformation. The tear ridges tend to form on the outer surface and move inward as the deformation proceeds. Several crazes SEM image convey the formation of tear ridges and ductile failure of neat ABS. On similar note, Samykano et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e] reported the tensile behaviour of FDM printed neat ABS material. The fractured specimen showed some amount of necking before failure indicating amount of plastic deformation undergone. Similarly, Jamadi et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e] observed neat and smooth fractured surface for unreinforced polymeric material. The author arrived at the conclusion that failure was ductile in nature based on overall observation. The ABS/15%SGF composite's fracture surface is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e(b) and (c). Both the SEM micrographs showed extensive fiber cut-off and matrix pull-out but none of them showed any voids which otherwise have formed during printing process. In general, when the bonding between the fibers and matrix is poor then one can observe fiber pull-out and voids formation in the fracture surface. However, in the present case the fractured surface showed fiber cut-off at all regions and each fiber showed some ABS remnants on their surface. Such features are possible when SGF is well wrapped by the ABS matrix and interfacial bonding between them is good. Further, when pulled, the SGF were able to withstand the load which implied that the load was efficiently transferred from matrix to SGF. In such scenario there are two possibilities that could occur in composites, SGF cut-off and matrix pull out. Both these features were clearly seen in the fractured surface explaining the large extent of plastic deformation undergone by the composite. Another most distinct feature seen in the FDM printed composites is delamination between the adjacent layers. For instance, Liu et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e] reported such features in their work on carbon fiber reinforced polyamide composites. The delamination was seen between the adjacent layers indicating poor bonding between them. At several regions, the matrix couldn\u0026rsquo;t cover the entire fiber bundle and few of the fibers were loosely packed. While the delamination was observed in the work of Liu et al., but in present study the delamination was not observed in ABS/15%SGF composite indicating good bonding between SGF/ABS, raster\u0026rsquo;s and layers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ABS/30%SGF composite\u0026rsquo;s fracture surface is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e(d), (e), and (f). The SEM micrographs were similar to that of ABS/15%SGF composite but with extensive fiber-cut off and few fiber pull-outs were observed. The first point to be noted here is the absence of plastic deformation features indicating the brittleness of composites. The addition of large amount of SGF content resulted in cross-linkage between the chains of polymer. This hampers the ability of composite to undergo plastic deformation and reduce the elongation. Further, the distance between the fibers decreases as compared to ABS/15%SGF composite and in such scenario some fibers are so closely packed that they can be easily pulled out. This feature is clearly seen in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e(d) where fibers were dislodged and the distance between them was few hundred microns. Although similar features are seen in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e(e) and (f), but careful observation shows that few fibers got cut-off while some of them were pulled out. The ABS/30%SGF composite displayed the highest young\u0026rsquo;s modulus and tensile strength owing to the presence of large amount of SGF but the fibers do act as point of stress concentrator\u0026rsquo;s. Higher the number of fibers the stress concentration points which on application of load tend to break the fibers. The fibers experience shear forces during application of tensile load provided they are not oriented in the direction of loading. In such cases the fibers get fractured which is quite evident from Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e(e) and (f). The reported work provides strong support for this observation by Prerez et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e], where the authors found that the addition of TiO2 particles enhanced the strength but reduced the ductility. The TiO2 particles acted as a point of stress concentration and accumulation of microfracture led to brittle fracture of composite sample. However, the author\u0026rsquo;s also observed certain voids which were formed during printing process which contributed via trans-filament rupture. This composite showed lower strength (32 MPa) while in present work the ABS/30%SGF composite had no voids or pores due to which it had highest strength of 49.7 MPa. So, the main contributor to failure of composites was fiber cut-off and considering the flat edge formation at the failed tensile sample\u0026rsquo;s end [figure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e(c)] and absence of features corresponding to plastic deformation explain brittle fracture for this composite.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e3.5 Mechanical properties: Youngs modulus, Flexural strength\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Young\u0026rsquo;s modulus of ABS and its composites with varying SGF content is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e(a). From the graph it is obvious that with the increase in SGF content the Young\u0026rsquo;s modulus was found to be increasing linearly. Neat ABS showed young\u0026rsquo;s modulus of 3.2 GPa which is significantly higher than other literatures have reported [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. For instance, Weng et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e] reported the elastic modulus of the montmorillonite reinforced ABS composites. The FDM printed control sample showed an elastic modulus of 1.2 GPa, while is almost one third of value that reported in this work. The authors attributed this to voids between oval filaments which were formed during the printing process. From this comparison it is evident that the smaller number of pores and good bonding between the raster\u0026rsquo;s resulted in very high elastic modulus of 3.2 GPa. With the addition of 15% SGF content the ABS composite showed elastic modulus of 6.8 GPa. When compared with neat ABS, the elastic modulus have doubled which indicates substantial improvement. There are multiple reasons for enhancement of elastic modulus, first being addition of high strength and stiff SGF to ABS matrix and second one is significantly a smaller number of pores due to good bonding formed between the raster\u0026rsquo;s while FDM printing process. According to previously published literature the elastic modulus of SGF is in the range of 85.5 GPa to 86.9 GPa while that neat ABS is in the range of 0.8 GPa to 6.10 GPa. When such a stiff reinforcing phase is added to neat ABS then definitely one can expect an increase in elastic modulus of ABS matrix. This is what observed in present study, the incorporation of 15% SGF has doubled the elastic modulus of ABS matrix. On similar note the Hwang et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e] reported an increase in tensile modulus of ABS when copper and iron particles are added to it. The 3D printed ABS sample showed tensile modulus value of 0.88 GPa and with the addition of 10 wt.% Cu and Fe particles, the modulus value increased to 0.93 GPa and 0.90 GPa respectively. Further, just the addition of strong and stiff doesn\u0026rsquo;t simply improve the property, but the processing conditions must be opted in such a way that dispersion and bonding between reinforcing phase and matrix is good. If any voids or defects are formed, then elastic modulus of resulting composite will be compromised.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, an interesting work was reported by Perez et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e], where the authors studied the young\u0026rsquo;s modulus of jute and rubber reinforced ABS composites in vertical and horizontal directions. The samples tested in vertical direction showed significant drop in young\u0026rsquo;s modulus from 1.19 GPa for neat ABS to 0.87 GPa and 1.1 GPa for jute and rubber reinforced ABS composites, respectively. The samples tested in horizontal direction showed marginal increase in young\u0026rsquo;s modulus from 1.53 GPa for neat ABS to 1.54 GPa and 1.58 GPa for jute and rubber reinforced ABS composites, respectively. Presence of many craters and voids in the microstructure resulted in such poor elastic modulus values. Continuing further, the elastic modulus of ABS composite with 30% SGF content was found to be 10.2 GPa. When compared with the neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composite, the increment inelastic modulus was about 1.5 and 3 times for ABS/30%SGF composite. The improvement was quite significant and could be attributed to increase in SGF content from 15\u0026ndash;30%. These well bonded and uniformly dispersed SGF by virtue of their high stiffness contributed to increase in the elastic modulus of ABS composite. The presence of large number of SGF, better blending using twin screw extruder and printing led to high entanglement of polymer chains which in turn contributed to substantial increase in elastic modulus [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]. Overall, the elastic modulus of neat ABS can be improved by adding SGF to it.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFlexural tests were conducted to evaluate the impact of incorporating SGF into ABS at different ratios of weight between 15 percent and 30 percent on flexural strength of composites. Flexural strength is the outcome of a flexural test in accordance with the standard ASTM D790 while utilizing 3 mm/min of crosshead speed. Flexural strength isn't a fundamental material characteristic, however it's crucial in terms of structural applications. This is because it gives a material's overview when three basic material stress states are induced to it. When composites are put through flexural tests, it's been observed that they typically break down at the compression surfaces. This is because most composites have weak compression strength despite having extremely high tensile strength. In the flexural test, the primary source of the composites' compressive failure is fiber buckling. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e(b) depicts the flexural strength results for neat ABS and its SGF reinforced composites. The neat ABS showed a 39.2 MPa of flexural strength which\u0026rsquo;s quite in consistent with the literature. Weng et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e] examined ABS's flexural strength, and the sample used for this purpose was prepared in accordance with ASTM D790-03 standard. The strength of 3D printed neat ABS sample obtained after test was 42.6 MPa. Vidakis et al.[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e] studied flexural strength for two different types of ABS samples printed in two different orientations (0\u0026deg; and 90\u0026deg;). Although the orientation of the printing exhibited very little impact on strength, the highest flexural strength rating, which was ~\u0026thinsp;38 MPa, was for the production grade special ABS. In another work, the ABS of FDM printed flexural strength was found to be 10.5 MPa which is considerably low when compared to present work [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. In the same research, the author\u0026rsquo;s generated neat ABS using compression molding, resulting in flexural strength that was nearly identical to that obtained from FDM printed ABS. Multiple studies have revealed various neat ABS flexural strength values, and the difference is significant. When compared with the present work the value is quite good and on the higher side. Further, the flexural strength of ABS has been enhanced to 55 MPa with the inclusion of 15% SGF content. Compared to neat ABS, the improvement was about 40.3% which is a considerable improvement in the strength. The flexural strength enhancement can be attributed to the toughening effects induced by the SGF. The strength of ABS composite, however, is dependent on both the dispersion of SGF in ABS and the bonding between its constituent parts, not just the presence of SGF. The interfacial relationship between FDM printing and interfacial bonding was clearly visible in SEM micrographs, and it was discovered that there was no sign of agglomeration in the uniform distribution of SGFs in the ABS matrix. There were no microporosities in these areas, and the interface has been discovered to be continuous and clean. With good bonding the stress propagation from ABS matrix to high strength SGF is quite efficient and better. This allowed the composite to support greater loads, which is realized in the flexural strength value which is been improved. This finding is well-supported by the work reported by Liang[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e] on ABS reinforced with hollow glass beads. According to the author, the flexural strength enhanced from 35.5 MPa to 38.4 MPa as hollow glass beads' volume fraction enhanced from 0\u0026ndash;15%. The improvement in strength was attributable to the hollow glass bead\u0026rsquo;s strong adherence to the ABS matrix. However, The ABS matrix's strength does not always increase when reinforcements are added. The inclusion of the particles leather powder reduced ABS\u0026rsquo;s flexural strength values. The neat ABS had a strength value of 61.43 MPa while with the addition of 15 wt.% of leather powder particles it decreased to 54.33 MPa. Such significant drop in strength was attributed to difference in polarities between the materials which caused poor interfacial bonding [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe highest flexural strength was found in the ABS/30%SGF composites, which was 62 MPa and substantially greater than pure ABS. When compared with neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composite, the increment in strength was about 58.2% and 12.7%, respectively. With the increase SGF content from 15\u0026ndash;30%, the ABS composite is found to be more toughened. Such a significant increment in strength was also observed when a substantial quantity (20 wt.%) of basalt fiber had been included to the ABS matrix [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]. The value of the neat ABS was 76.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.35 MPa while basalt fiber reinforced composite had a value of 90.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.22 MPa. Authors stated that adding basalt fiber boosted flexural strength and that adhesion between the basalt fiber and ABS matrix had little to no bearing on this, it was a fascinating observation. However, in many cases the increase in weight percentage of reinforcing phase didn\u0026rsquo;t give good results. For instance, Vidakis et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e] have studied the flexural strength of an ABS with micron and nano size ZnO particles inclusion. It was found that neat ABS had a value of 46.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.2 MPa while nano and micron size ZnO particles reinforced ABS composites showed 43.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.9 MPa and 46.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.8 MPa respectively. Although the authors didn\u0026rsquo;t mention the reason behind decrease in the composite\u0026rsquo;s flexural strength with such large percentage of ZnO particles but in such cases, it's primarily owing to the clustering of particles. The particle cluster acts as stress concentration regions and crack initiation is quite easy here. As a result of good interfacial bonding and dispersion of SGF within ABS matrix, ABS composites with SGF have increased flexural strength.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe present study investigated the influence of short glass fiber reinforcement on the microstructure, tensile strength, impact resistance, and flexural properties of ABS composites fabricated using the fused deposition modelling technique. Therefore, the following conclusions are presented in this regard.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe fabrication of composites involved a two-stage process: mixing and extrusion using a twin-screw extruder, followed by Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) to create ABS and SGF-reinforced composites.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eUniform distribution of short glass fibers (SGF) was observed in the extruded filaments, with no evidence of fiber clustering. The ABS matrix showed strong interfacial bonding with SGF, evidenced by the absence of gaps at the fiber-matrix interface.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe layered construction in FDM-printed parts demonstrated excellent interlayer bonding, with ABS effectively enveloping the fibers to prevent pore formation between the rasters.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ultimate tensile strength (UTS) was significantly enhanced with SGF inclusion, peaking at 49.7 MPa for the ABS/30%SGF composite, showcasing the strength benefits of fiber reinforcement.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eConversely, the presence of SGF negatively affected material elongation, with the ABS/30%SGF composite showing the least flexibility, likely due to restricted polymer chain mobility.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eA substantial increase in elastic modulus was observed, particularly for the ABS/30%SGF composite, which exhibited a modulus 1.5 to 3 times higher than that of neat ABS and ABS/15%SGF composites, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFractured tensile specimens revealed a transition from ductile fracture in neat ABS to brittle fracture in SGF composites, with the latter lacking plastic deformation features.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFlexural strength was highest in the ABS/30%SGF composite, which also showed superior fiber-matrix bonding and fiber dispersion, leading to a 58.2% and 12.7% strength improvement over neat ABS and the ABS/15%SGF composites, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn summary, the incorporation of short glass fibers into the pure ABS material yielded advantageous outcomes. The utilization of fused deposition modelling in conjunction with fiber reinforcement yielded a notable improvement in the mechanical properties, surpassing those exhibited by pure ABS materials.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe authors claim that there are no ethical issues involved in this research.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll the authors consent to participate in this research and contribute to the research.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll the authors consent to publish the research. There are no potential copyright/plagiarism issues involved in this research.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflicts of interest/competing interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis research received no external funding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor contribution:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eShrishail Kakkeri: Writing \u0026ndash; original draft, Conceptualization, Validation, Methodology, Investigation. Namdev Ashok Patil: Writing \u0026ndash; review \u0026amp; editing, Conceptualization, Investigation, Formal analysis. M. M. Benal: Writing \u0026ndash; review \u0026amp; editing, Investigation, Formal analysis. Sambhaji Kusekar: Writing \u0026ndash; review \u0026amp; editing. Sainand Jadhav: Writing \u0026ndash; review \u0026amp; editing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInc. Grand View Research, Composites Market Size, Share \u0026amp; Trends Analysis Report By Product Type (Carbon Fiber, Glass Fiber), San Francisco, 2024.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eG.F. Ronald, Principles of Composite Material Mechanics, Fourth Edition, n.d.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eP. Mallick, Fiber Reinforced Composites Materials, Manufacturing, and Design, n.d.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eH. Abramovich, Introduction to composite materials, in: Stability and Vibrations of Thin-Walled Composite Structures, Elsevier, 2017: pp. 1\u0026ndash;47. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100410-4.00001-6.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eC. 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Kechagias, The mechanical and physical properties of 3D-Printed materials composed of ABS-ZnO nanocomposites and ABS-ZnO microcomposites, Micromachines (Basel) 11 (2020) 1\u0026ndash;20. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi11060615.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"the-international-journal-of-advanced-manufacturing-technology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"jamt","sideBox":"Learn more about [The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology](https://www.springer.com/journal/170)","snPcode":"170","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/170/3","title":"The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"ABS, short glass fiber, fused deposition modelling, polymer composites","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7279914/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7279914/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn this study, the fused deposition modelling (FDM) process is utilized to develop the short glass fiber (SGF) reinforced 3D printed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) polymer composites. Three filaments for FDM were prepared by varying SGF reinforcement percentages in ABS matrix 0%, 15%, and 30% respectively. The microstructural analysis of SGF reinforced ABS filament was carried out to understand bonding and dispersion. The composites were analyzed for their microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture behavior. Short glass fibers were uniformly distributed in composite ABS matrix, with strong interfacial bonding between ABS and SGF, and no clustering or gaps at interfaces. Tensile test demonstrated that the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) was significantly enhanced with SGF inclusion, peaking at 49.7 MPa for the ABS/30%SGF composite, demonstrating the strength advantages of fiber reinforcing. On the contrary, the presence of SGF negatively affected material elongation, with the ABS/30%SGF composite showing the least flexibility, likely due to restricted polymer chain mobility. Fractured tensile specimens revealed a transition from ductile fracture in neat ABS to brittle fracture in SGF composites, with the latter lacking plastic deformation features. The ABS/30%SGF composite had the highest flexural strength, demonstrating enhanced fiber-matrix bonding and fiber distribution, resulting in a 58.2% and 12.7% increase in strength compared to neat ABS and the ABS/15%SGF composites, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Investigation of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced 3D Printed Polymer Composites","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-08-20 10:17:20","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7279914/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Major Revisions Needed","date":"2025-12-11T09:12:43+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2025-09-09T15:09:18+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-08-12T13:14:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-08-12T10:22:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology","date":"2025-08-09T13:21:43+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"the-international-journal-of-advanced-manufacturing-technology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"jamt","sideBox":"Learn more about [The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology](https://www.springer.com/journal/170)","snPcode":"170","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/170/3","title":"The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"021485c1-b968-4b1f-8b3f-5a645e66a698","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 20th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-02T16:15:33+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7279914","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-026-17565-0","journal":{"identity":"the-international-journal-of-advanced-manufacturing-technology","isVorOnly":false,"title":"The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology"},"publishedOn":"2026-02-25 15:57:47","publishedOnDateReadable":"February 25th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-20 10:17:20","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s00170-026-17565-0","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-026-17565-0","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7279914","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7279914","identity":"rs-7279914","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}