Additive manufacturing (AM) of polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), an amorphous high-performance polymer (HPP), has shown promise in exhibiting structural integrity for many applications. With thermoplastic material extrusion 3D printing, parts consisting of layered melts exhibited voids, where the adhesion quality and void size depend on the processing parameters implemented during printing. However, the structure-process-property (SPP) relationships between the thermal properties and rheological and mechanical behavior of AM PPSU are poorly understood. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the thermal, thermo-mechanical, and layer-by-layer build-up of PPSU is investigated and correlated with viscosity and extrudate die swell behavior with void fraction volume as confirmed by high-resolution x-ray computed tomography (XCT). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) pyrolysis confirmed PPSU composition and degradation at 480 °C, consistent with thermo-gravimetric analysis TGA. A 141% difference in viscosity was observed when processing temperatures increased from 350 °C to 400 °C. Likewise, extrudate die swell decreased with increasing temperatures, resulting in a 17% difference. Tensile and compressive properties confirmed that higher extruding temperatures resulted in lower porosity and higher mechanical strength. In general, higher extruding temperatures lower the viscosity to allow for stronger cohesion between layers; however, increasing the temperature too high results in a below unity extrudate die swell, reducing mechanical properties. Therefore, to optimize the mechanical integrity of 3D printed amorphous PPSU parts, an increase in the viscosity, near unity of the extrudate die swell, and tempered extrusion temperature are needed.

聚苯砜 (PPSU) 是一种无定形高性能聚合物 (HPP)，其增材制造 (AM) 在许多应用中展现出结构完整性的前景。在热塑性材料挤出 3D 打印中，由层状熔体组成的部件会出现空隙，其中粘合质量和空隙尺寸取决于打印过程中实施的加工参数。然而，人们对 AM PPSU 的热性能与流变和机械行为之间的结构-过程-性能 (SPP) 关系知之甚少。在本研究中，对 PPSU 的热、热机械和逐层堆积进行了综合分析，并将其与粘度和挤出物脱模膨胀行为与空隙率体积相关联，这一点已通过高分辨率 X 射线证实计算机断层扫描(XCT)。气相色谱-质谱 (GC-MS) 热解证实了 480 °C 下 PPSU 的组成和降解，与热重分析 TGA 一致。当加工温度从 350 °C 增加到 400 °C 时，粘度出现了 141% 的差异。同样，挤出物的脱模膨胀随着温度的升高而降低，导致 17% 的差异。拉伸和压缩性能证实，较高的挤出温度会导致较低的孔隙率和较高的机械强度。一般来说，较高的挤出温度会降低粘度，从而增强层间的粘合力；然而，温度升高过高会导致挤出物的脱模膨胀低于统一值，从而降低机械性能。因此，为了优化 3D 打印非晶 PPSU 零件的机械完整性，需要提高粘度、挤出物离模膨胀接近一致以及回火挤出温度。