Testing and numerical prediction of fracture toughness on innovative material manufactured via additive manufacturing

Innovative materials (IMs) with tailored and lightweight materials are in high demand for the various engineering application. This study presents the development and evaluation of an IM structure fabricated using fused deposition modeling (FDM). IM was produced by alternately depositing two PLA-based materials: wood-filled PLA (M-1) and ceramic-filled PLA (M-2). This layered approach was intended to combine the light weight of M-1 with the strength and thermal stability of M-2. The fracture behavior IM specimens was evaluated in terms of Mode I fracture toughness (KIC) through a single-edge notch bend (SENB) test along with its base polymers. Finite element analysis was also performed to support the experimental results. The measured KIC values were 3.84 MPam for M-1, 6.81 MPam for M-2, and 6.81 MPam for IM, showing a clear improved tailoring properties when both materials are combined. The good agreement between experimental and simulation results confirms the reliability of the adapted approach. Overall, this work demonstrates an effective way to produce lightweight and fracture-resistant composite structure using FDM through alternate material deposition.