The Potential of 3D Printing in Thermal Insulating Composite Materials—Experimental Determination of the Impact of the Geometry on Thermal Resistance

This paper focuses on the analysis of the thermal properties of prototype insulation structures produced using SLS and SLA additive technologies. There is a noticeable lack of analysis in the scientific literature regarding the geometry of 3D-printed structures in terms of their thermal properties. The aim of this paper was to analyze printed samples of prototype thermal insulation composite structures and their potential for use in building applications. The research material consisted of closed and open cell foams of varying structural complexity. Increasing the complexity of the composite core structure resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the value of the thermal conductivity coefficient λ and the heat transfer coefficient U, and an increase in the thermal resistance Rc. The experimental results showed that the geometric structure of the air voids in the material is a key factor in regulating heat transfer. The control of porosity in materials produced by additive technology can be an effective tool for designing structures with high insulation efficiency. The best performance of the prototype materials produced by the SLS method was a three-layer cellular composite with a gyroid core structure. It was also shown that the four-layer gyroid structure panels with an outer layer of metallized polyethylene film produced using 3D SLA printing had the best thermal insulation. As a result, the analysis confirmed the possibility of producing energy-efficient insulation materials using 3D printing. These materials can be used successfully in construction and other industries. Further research will significantly improve the quality, accuracy, and speed of printing insulation materials, reduce the negative impact on the natural environment, and develop intelligent adaptive solutions.