{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,31]],"date-time":"2025-12-31T13:46:55Z","timestamp":1767188815996,"version":"3.48.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,30]],"date-time":"2025-12-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767052800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Polymers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This paper describes how the thermal treatment of 3D-printed PLA samples, fabricated by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), affects elastic properties by means of vibrational spectroscopy and ultrasonic echography. Longitudinal and shear sound velocities were measured experimentally to determine Young\u2019s, bulk, shear, and longitudinal moduli, as well as Poisson\u2019s ratio. The results were complemented with two different simulation approaches\u2014the elastodynamic finite integration technique (EFIT) and the equivalent electric analog technique implemented with LPSpice\u2014whose predictive performance was assessed using statistical performance metrics. The circuit-based simulation method demonstrated superior agreement with experimental behavior compared to EFIT. Both measured and simulated data reveal that PLA chains undergo overall structural strengthening and enhanced packing up to 2 h of heating, followed by a clear reduction in these enhancements as thermal degradation emerges with further heating. Poisson\u2019s ratio remained relatively stable throughout, indicating minimal impact on strain distribution characteristics despite observable stiffening and subsequent softening. Vibrational ATR (Attenuated Total Reflection) spectra corroborated these findings through systemic shifts in C-COO, C-O-C, and C-O stretching modes associated with the same structural modifications. Overall, this combined experimental\u2013simulation framework provides an integrated understanding of thermally induced mechanical and molecular evolution in 3D-printed PLA relevant to defense applications.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/polym18010104","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,31]],"date-time":"2025-12-31T13:30:52Z","timestamp":1767187852000},"page":"104","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Combined Use of Vibrational Spectroscopy, Ultrasonic Echography, and Numerical Simulations for the Non-Destructive Evaluation of 3D-Printed Materials for Defense Applications"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Dimitra","family":"Apostolidou","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-1180-0759","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Afrodite","family":"Tryfon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5842-5202","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dionysios E.","family":"Mouzakis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Mathematics and Engineering Sciences, Department of Military Studies, Hellenic Army Academy, 16673 Attica, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nektarios K.","family":"Nasikas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Mathematics and Engineering Sciences, Department of Military Studies, Hellenic Army Academy, 16673 Attica, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0407-6892","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angelos G.","family":"Kalampounias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"},{"name":"Institute of Materials Science and Computing, University Research Center of Ioannina (URCI), 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6209","DOI":"10.1016\/S0032-3861(01)00086-6","article-title":"Poly (lactic acid): Plasticization and properties of biodegradable multiphase systems","volume":"42","author":"Martin","year":"2001","journal-title":"Polymer"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2709","DOI":"10.1016\/0032-3861(95)93647-5","article-title":"Properties and morphologies of poly(l-lactide): 1. 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