On the selection of rheological tests for the prediction of 3D printability

Direct ink writing is used to print multiple polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mixtures with fumed silica or as a two-part commercial liquid silicone rubber (LSR) mixed with polyethylene glycol (PEG) or as a two-part commercial vulcanizing (RTV) silicone. We correlate their printability into a hollow slump cone with rheological measurements, including (1) a shear rate up-ramp followed by (2) a down-ramp in the shear rate, (3) creep tests, and (4) large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) with increasing amplitude. The PDMS-fumed silica mixtures fail to print even at the highest fumed silica loading used (9 wt. %), while LSR-PEG with 4 or 6 wt. % PEG prints well, and one of the two RTV silicone components is printable, as is the mixture due in part to its rapid chemical curing. The large differences in printability of these materials do not correlate well with any single rheological test. They do correlate with a combination of a measure of material strength, given by either the yield stress σ y cr from creep tests or the “flow stress” σ f at which G′ and G″ cross-over in LAOS, and of material recoverability given by the dynamic yield stress σ y − in test 2. The latter is measured during a down-ramp in the shear rate after reaching a maximum shear rate of 1000 s−1, the highest shear rate in the print nozzle.