Interlocking Interfaces for Enhanced Mechanical Properties in Bi-Component 3D Printing of Biodegradable Materials

Additive manufacturing has evolved beyond monomaterial fabrication, enabling the integration of dissimilar polymers within a single structure to achieve spatially tailored properties. In Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), however, the discrete, layer-wise deposition and inherent material incompatibilities make the interfacial region a critical determinant of structural integrity. Rather than acting as a simple boundary, the interface governs stress transfer, damage initiation, and failure propagation, especially in biodegradable polymer systems where thermal and rheological mismatches are pronounced. This study investigates bi-component FFF structures manufactured from PLA and PLA/PHA using mechanically interlocked interface geometries (T-type and dovetail configurations). Mechanical performance was assessed through tensile, flexural, and Charpy impact testing, complemented by fracture analysis, surface topography evaluation, and X-Ray Computed Tomography (XCT) for internal defect characterization. The results establish correlations between interface design, defect distribution, and overall structural response.