At IMP the work will focus on TPV (Thermoplastic Vulcanizate). Formulations will be developed and studied to improve behavior at all stages of the MEAM process (extrusion, shape maintaining, cohesion between layers, solidification). Therefore, the target will be low viscosity, yield stress flow behavior either by adding fillers or by creating physico-chemical interactions between macromolecular chains, or even reversible reactions. In all cases, the formulation must be tailored to preserve the softness of the material in use. The printability will be first tested at IMP and then deeply evaluated at LIST by characterizing the achievable resolution and the possible shapes while minimizing the printing time.
Moreover, the ultimate goal is to add peculiar functionalities of the developed material, as shape memory response, to aim « 4D printing ». Thus, the shape memory response of newly developed TPVs will be evaluated and the inclusion of functional fillers will be investigated.
