Multiscale Polymer Structure in Conventional and AM-Produced Polymer Systems Using Mapping Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Analysis.

Advanced manufacturing (AM) continues to drive innovation in material production across various fields, often resulting in materials with mechanical properties distinct from those produced conventionally. For polymers, both the thermal and mechanical history of the feedstock and the processing method, AM versus traditional, govern structural development from molecular to macroscopic scales. This project utilizes small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) to extract statistically averaged structural information across the 1–100 nm range. Our SAXS mapping capabilities enable visualization of nanoscale structural variations over millimeter-scale regions with 100-micron spatial resolution. These tools allow us to study nanostructural changes across interfaces and under mechanical deformation. The research focuses on how various processing methods—such as melting feedstock pellets versus selective laser sintering (SLS) prints in different orientations—impact the internal morphology of polyethylene samples. Structural parameters such as lamellae thickness, amorphous layer thickness, crystallinity, and lamellar size distributions are compared across samples. By examining materials with differing thermal and mechanical histories, we aim to understand how processing influences crystalline organization and uniformity. Tensile tests are currently being conducted to measure mechanical performance under controlled strain rates. This integrated approach, combining SAXS/WAXS with mechanical testing, provides a multiscale view of structure-property relationships. Ultimately, this work supports the development of optimized polymer processing strategies tailored for advanced manufacturing applications such as membrane filtration systems, hydrogen storage linings, and energy-resilient polymer components