This paper investigates the effect of nozzle temperature, from 180 to 260 °C, on properties of polylactic acid (PLA) samples manufactured by fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. The main objective of this research is to determinate an optimum nozzle temperature relative to tensile, flexural and compressive properties of printed specimens. After manufacturing, the samples exhibit an amorphous structure, without crystallization effects, independently of the fabrication temperature. In order to determine the influence of printing temperature on mechanical properties, uniaxial tensile, three-point flexural and compression strength tests were carried out. The obtained results suggest that a relative low printing temperature could reduce the material flow and decrease the density of the final prototype, with a negative effect on both the quality and the mechanical properties of the pieces. If temperature increases up to 260 °C, an excess of material can be deposited, but with no significant negative effect on mechanical parameters. There is an optimum nozzle temperature interval, depending on the considered piece and test, for which mechanical values can be optimized. Taking into account all tests, a recommended extruder temperature interval may be identified as 220–240 °C. This range encompasses all mechanical parameters, avoiding the highest temperature where an excess of material was observed. For this printing temperature interval, no significant mechanical variations were appreciated, which corresponds to a stable behavior of the manufactured specimens.
The molecular and crystal structures of the title compound are reported. The molecular structure shows an oxalate-linked copper(II) two-dimensional coordination polymer where the knots are occupied by the [Cu(oxalate)2]n units and the edges by the [Cu(ethylenediamine)2]2n units which grow in the (011) plane. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n, with a⊕=⊕15.579(3), b⊕=⊕8.073(2) and c⊕=⊕12.980(3) Å, β⊕=⊕118.67(2)°, Z⊕=⊕4, V⊕=⊕1432.3(6) Å3. The crystal structure is formed by a three-dimensional network via an extensive hydrogen-bonding network involving water molecules, nitrogen atoms from the ethylenediamine ligand and oxygen atoms from the perchlorate anions.