Structure–mechanical property relationships of 3D-printed porous polydimethylsiloxane films

Abstract

Abstract Complex microstructures can be produced from different base materials by combining three-dimensional (3D) printing technology and ink formulations. The surface wettability of the 3D-printed porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), particularly its superhydrophobic property, strongly depends on its physical structure. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of the microporous structure on the mechanical properties is not understood, which seriously constrains the structural–functional integration design of the 3D-printed superhydrophobic porous PDMS. To solve this problem, we studied the influence of the printing parameters on the mechanical properties in the compression and tension directions using a finite element method. The results showed that the load transfer path of the 3D-printed porous PDMS was along the overlapping area of the adjacent filaments. As the filament spacing decreased or the filament diameter increased, the elastic modulus of the porous PDMS was enhanced, improving its resistance to tensile and compressive deformation. A quantitative relationship was established between the relative densities of the porous PDMS films and their relative elastic moduli. This study provides theoretical guidance for the structural–functional integration design of 3D-printed superhydrophobic porous PDMS.