Flexural Performance and Morphological Characterization of Graphene Nanoparticle‐Reinforced Polylactic Acid (
PLA
) Nanocomposites
Ahmet Saylık, Ertan Kösedağ ABSTRACT
In this study, the flexural behavior and microstructural characteristics of pure polylactic acid (PLA) and graphene nanoparticle (GNP)‐reinforced PLA composites produced via melt processing were systematically investigated. Composite filaments containing different GNP weight fractions (0.4, 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 wt%) were fabricated through controlled mixing and extrusion and subsequently processed into test specimens using additive manufacturing. The flexural response revealed that increasing graphene content led to a gradual reduction in strength, stiffness, and energy absorption capacity, typically in the range of 10%–20%; however, this behavior was governed primarily by the dispersion quality within the matrix rather than filler content alone. While relatively uniform distributions were observed at lower loadings, higher graphene contents promoted particle agglomeration, interlayer discontinuities, and weakened interfacial bonding, thereby limiting effective load transfer. Morphological analyses confirmed that the mechanical performance is directly controlled by microstructural integrity, particularly, the dispersion state of graphene and the continuity of interlayer bonding. Overall, the results demonstrate that optimizing graphene‐reinforced PLA systems requires not only controlling filler content but, more critically, maintaining a homogeneous microstructure.