High‐Performance Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyphenylene Sulfide via Fused Granular Fabrication

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effects of carbon fiber (CF) content on the rheological, mechanical, and thermal properties of Fused Granular Fabrication (FGF) polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composites. PPS composites with various CF loadings (0–25 wt%) were prepared, and their rheological behavior, mechanical properties, thermal properties, and micro‐morphology were analyzed. Results indicate that increasing CF content significantly enhances the rheological characteristics of the composites, with the storage modulus increasing to the order of 10 ⁴ –10 ⁵ Pa. The tensile strength, flexural strength, and Young's modulus of the 3D‐printed specimens improved with higher CF content, reaching optimal values at 25 wt% CF (tensile strength: 109.96 MPa, flexural modulus: 7.08 GPa), representing 367% and 325% increase over neat PPS, respectively. While the Z‐direction tensile strength achieved 33.37 MPa. However, these values remained slightly inferior to those of injection‐molded counterparts. Due to pore existence furthermore, CF incorporation markedly improved the thermal resistance, with the 25 wt% PPS‐CF composite exhibiting a heat deflection temperature of 246.8°C, a 136°C enhancement over neat PPS (110°C). This work provides theoretical insights for optimizing processing parameters and tailoring properties of high‐heat‐resistant PPS‐CF composites in 3D printing applications.