Effect of Natural Aging on Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate for Outdoor Applications

3D printing of polymeric components for outdoor applications has increasingly attracted the interest of various industries owing to advantages such as superior durability and mechanical performance. Consequently, it is essential to study the mechanical properties of components under different loadings and exposures to natural conditions specific to the working environments. The present study investigates the effect of natural aging through synergestic effect of sunlight, moisture, and temperature on the mechanical and surface performance of 3D-printed acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) specimens. 3D-printed tensile and flexural specimens were categorized into two groups, one group was exposed to outdoor conditions (sunlight, moisture, and temperature) for 12 months (ASTM G7/G7M-21) and other were considered as unexposed control group. Mechanical tests were performed on specimens from both groups, and comparisons of the results were made across groups and within individual groups. After natural aging, tensile specimens experience slight reduction (up to 4%) in strength of X-build orientation, while strength in Z-build orientation experiences significant reduction (up to 18%) compared to control group. However, flexural specimens retained their strength in both X- and Z-build orientation, while few specimens lost 4-6% of strength compared to the control group. Surface analyses were conducted to reveal the fracture mechanism and microstructural changes that occurred due to natural aging. Furthermore, surface roughness analysis was performed to understand the change in surface texture of the specimens affected by natural aging. The study findings suggest that the material properties of the specimens did not undergo significant changes after natural aging, indicating their potential for various outdoor applications, including automotive, biomedical, aerospace, electronics, and marine sectors.