Analyzing the Influence of Graphene and Print Parameters on Pla-graphene Composites Using the Taguchi Method

This study explores the influence of graphene addition on the mechanical behavior of polylactic acid (PLA) filaments fabricated using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), emphasizing the effects of graphene reinforcement and key printing parameters. A Taguchi L32 experimental design was utilized to systematically evaluate the impacts of infill density, layer height, print speed, and print angle on mechanical properties, including yield strength, fracture strength, Young’s modulus, and deformation at yield and break. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified graphene, infill density, and print angle as the most significant factors. Results revealed that the addition of graphene notably enhanced mechanical properties, with yield strength increasing by up to 9.88% (29.7 MPa) and Young’s modulus improving by 10.31% (0.88 GPa). However, graphene addition reduced ductility, as evidenced by lower deformation at break compared to pure PLA. Optimal parameter combinations, such as 30% infill density, 0.2 mm layer height, and 0° print angle, yielded the best mechanical performance. This study uniquely demonstrates the potential of combining graphene reinforcement with optimized print parameters to enhance the strength and stiffness of PLA composites. These findings underscore the viability of graphene-reinforced PLA for industrial applications demanding materials with superior mechanical properties while addressing the trade-off between stiffness and ductility in advanced manufacturing.