3D printing super stretchable propylene-based elastomer

Stretchable elastomers play a crucial role in various applications such as soft robotics and flexible electronics. Traditional manufacturing methods for stretchable elastomers face limitations in terms of material waste and production time. This paper presents a direct pellet printing technique using pneumatic pressure to fabricate a highly stretchable propylene-based elastomer. By feeding polymer pellets into a customized pellet printer and regulating pneumatic pressure, the filament buckling issue is overcome, and precise material flow control is achieved, resulting in a uniform microstructure. Tensile testing reveals that the 3D printed elastomer exhibits exceptional elongation exceeding 4000%. Scanning electron microscopy confirms seamless interlayer bonding, contributing to the material's stretchability. This technique opens up new possibilities for soft stretchable devices.