Aly Reem, Olalere Olafisoye, Ryder Aaron, Alyammahi Mozah, Samad Wael A
Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Dubai 341055, United Arab Emirates.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 14623, USA.
Polymers (Basel). 2024 Dec 20;16(24):3569. doi: 10.3390/polym16243569.
Additive manufacturing is an attractive technology due to its versatility in producing parts with diverse properties from a single material. However, the process often generates plastic waste, particularly from failed prints, making sustainability a growing concern. Recycling this waste material presents a potential solution for reducing environmental impact while creating new, functional parts. In this study, the feasibility of creating printable filaments from recycled polylactic acid (PLA) waste and virgin PLA pellets was explored. Filaments were manufactured in the lab using a single-screw desktop extruder with four temperature zones, with compositions ranging from 100% virgin PLA to 100% recycled PLA in 10% composition increments. Test samples were 3D printed using a Material Extrusion 3D printer and subjected to tensile testing in conjunction with digital image correlation to evaluate their ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, Young's modulus, ductility, toughness, and strain distribution. The results indicated that the optimal mechanical properties were observed in specimens made from 100% virgin PLA, 100% recycled PLA, and a 50% virgin/50% recycled PLA blend. Additionally, comparisons with a commercially produced PLA filament revealed that 100% virgin and 100% recycled blends have a 50.33% and 48% higher tensile strength than commercial filament, respectively. However, commercial filaments exhibited higher ductility and toughness than the lab-made extruded filament.
增材制造是一项颇具吸引力的技术，因为它能够利用单一材料生产出具有多种特性的零件。然而，该工艺常常会产生塑料废料，尤其是打印失败时产生的废料，这使得可持续性成为一个日益受到关注的问题。回收这些废料是一种潜在的解决方案，既能减少对环境的影响，又能制造出新的功能性零件。在本研究中，探讨了利用回收的聚乳酸（PLA）废料和纯PLA颗粒制造可打印长丝的可行性。在实验室中，使用具有四个温度区的单螺杆桌面挤出机制造长丝，其成分从100%纯PLA到100%回收PLA，以10%的成分增量变化。测试样品使用材料挤出3D打印机进行3D打印，并结合数字图像相关技术进行拉伸测试，以评估其极限抗拉强度、屈服强度、杨氏模量、延展性、韧性和应变分布。结果表明，在由100%纯PLA、100%回收PLA以及50%纯PLA/50%回收PLA共混物制成的样品中观察到了最佳机械性能。此外，与商业生产的PLA长丝相比，100%纯PLA和100%回收PLA共混物的抗拉强度分别比商业长丝高50.33%和48%。然而，商业长丝的延展性和韧性比实验室制造的挤出长丝更高。
