Development of ASA with recovered carbon fibers filaments for additive manufacturing

• Grant number: 25/05974-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Roberto Passador
• Grantee: Sofia de Almeida
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/11092-8 - Recycling and reuse strategies for carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite waste for the development of high-performance materials, AP.R

Abstract

Additive manufacturing of polymer reinforced with carbon fibers (CF) represents a significant advancement in the development of high-performance materials, combining the design flexibility of 3D printing with the superior mechanical properties of CF. Acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA) copolymer is a thermoplastic widely used in additive manufacturing due to its excellent weather resistance, good thermal stability, and chemical resistance. However, like other polymers used in 3D printing, ASA exhibits limitations in mechanical performance, particularly regarding stiffness and impact resistance. To overcome these shortcomings, the incorporation of CF can be an effective strategy, as it enhances stiffness, tensile strength, and dimensional stability without compromising processability. CF serves as a structural reinforcement, reducing thermal shrinkage and improving interlayer adhesion - both critical for components manufactured using fused deposition modeling (FDM). The use of recycled carbon fiber (rCF) in additive manufacturing offers several advantages from both environmental and economic perspectives. rCF retains most of the mechanical properties of virgin CF, enabling mechanical performance improvements in the resulting composites while reducing raw material costs. This study aims to evaluate the use of rCF derived from aerospace composites as a reinforcing agent for ASA in the production of filaments for additive manufacturing. The rCF will be obtained through microwave-assisted thermal recycling and characterized using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The recycled fibers will then be cut and incorporated into the ASA matrix at varying contents (0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 wt%) using a twin-screw extruder. Filaments with a diameter of 1.75 mm will be produced using a mini-extruder equipped with a filament die and subsequently used in FDM 3D printing to fabricate test specimens. The printed specimens will be evaluated through tensile and Izod impact tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and morphological characterization via SEM. This work seeks to contribute to the sustainability of the composite materials industry by promoting waste reuse and expanding the potential applications of ASA reinforced with carbon fibers.