Effect of temperature on the fracture behavior of polyamide 12 and glass-filled polyamide 12 processed by selective laser sintering

•Fracture behavior of SLS PA12 was higher than that of SLS PA12-R at −50, 23 and 50 °C.•Reinforcement inefficiency due to poor adhesion of the glass beads to the matrix.•Fracture behavior of PA-R was unaffected by the temperature and the orientation.•JIC of PA12 were similar at −50 °C and at 23 °C and much lower than at 50 °C.•J-R curves of PA12 are steeper at parallel orientation than at perpendicular one. The influence of the orientation and of the temperature on the mechanical properties of the polyamide 12 (PA12) and the polyamide 12 reinforced with glass beads processed via Selective Laser Sintering was analyzed. Tensile and fracture tests were performed at −50 °C, 23 °C and 50 °C with applied load perpendicular and parallel to the layered structure. The fracture resistance of PA12 was higher than that of the composite due to the poor adhesion of the glass beads to the matrix. The fracture behavior of the composite was unaffected by the temperature and the orientation. JIC values of PA12 were similar at −50 °C and at 23 °C and much lower than at 50 °C. The anisotropy was relevant during the stable crack growth.