The paper presents the results of mechanical tests of models manufactured with two 3D printing technologies, FDM and CFF. Both technologies use PLA or PA-based materials reinforced with carbon fibers. The work includes both uniaxial tensile tests of the tested materials and metrological measurements of surfaces produced with two 3D printing technologies. The test results showed a significant influence of the type of technology on the strength of the models built and on the quality of the technological surface layer. After the analysis of the parameters of the primary profile, roughness and waviness, it can be clearly stated that the quality of the technological surface layer is much better for the models made with the CFF technology compared to the FDM technology. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the models manufactured of carbon fiber-enriched material is much higher for samples made with CFF technology compared to FDM.

The advancement of polymer nano-composites has been motivated by the need for materials with a specific combination of mechanical properties beyond those achieved from only one material.

DMF is one the most commonly-used solvents for preparing graphene nanocomposites. Various processing variables for DMF are being used for the preparation of epoxy/graphene nanocomposites. Whilst the emphasis of all of these reported studies are on the improvements in mechanical, and other properties, of the epoxy/graphene nanocomposites, there is no study investigating how DMF affects the processing and how it is associated with the final properties of the nanocomposites. In this work, different dosages of DMF have been used to prepare nanocomposites. Mechanical testing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used to analyze the effectiveness of DMF dosage on the properties of processed nanocomposites. Larger dosages of DMF are not always ideal for dispersing graphene as it promotes reaggregation of graphene during the processing.

This study investigates the fabrication and characterization of heat-responsive PLA/PU/MXene shape memory polymer blend nanocomposites with varying PLA content (10, 20, 30, and 50%) and a fixed MXene content of 0.5 wt.%. The results indicate significant improvements in mechanical properties, with the 50% PLA/PU/MXene blend showing a 300% increase in ultimate tensile strength and a 90% decrease in % elongation compared to pure PU. Additionally, the 50% blend exhibited a 400% increase in flexural strength. Microstructural analysis revealed dispersed pores and sea–island morphology in pure PU and the 50% PLA/PU/MXene blend. Thermal analysis using DSC showed an increase in crystallinity from 33% (pure PU) to 45% for the 50% PLA/PU/MXene blend, indicating enhanced crystalline domains due to the semi-crystalline nature of PLA and MXene’s influence on molecular ordering. TGA demonstrated a significant improvement in thermal stability, with the onset temperature rising from 185 °C (pure PU) to 212 °C and the degradation temperature increasing from 370 °C to 425 °C for the 50% blend, attributed to the rigid structure of PLA and MXene’s stabilizing effect. Shape memory testing revealed that the 30% PLA/PU/MXene blend achieved the best shape fixity and recovery with optimal performance, whereas higher PLA content diminished shape memory behavior.