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Sustainable filament for 3D printing from recycled polypropylene filled with waste paper

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Author(s):
Daniel Magalhães de Oliveira
Total Authors: 1
Document type: Doctoral Thesis
Press: Guaratinguetá. 2023-05-10.
Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Engenharia. Guaratinguetá
Defense date:
Advisor: Herman Jacobus Cornelis Voorwald; Kelly Cristina Coelho de Carvalho Benini
Abstract

One of the biggest challenges of contemporary society is dealing with the excessive generation of solid waste and its disposal. Industrial production growth, followed by inadequate waste management, generates global environmental problems. Environmental policies have guided new actions aimed at sustainable solid waste management. Overall, additive manufacturing has spurred growth in research and innovation. Concerning the production of filaments for 3D printing, composites and recycled raw materials have been highlighted, making it possible to obtain materials with reduced costs, maintain their performance, and extend their useful life. Within this context, the project's objective was to obtain polypropylene (PP) composites recycled from disposable plastic cups and waste office paper to produce sustainable filaments for 3D printing. The methodology consisted of obtaining and characterizing waste paper, recycled PP, and composites to analyze their properties for subsequent 3D printing. The composites without and with the addition of a compatibilizer agent (1 wt.% MAPP) were obtained by mixing recycled PP with 10 wt.% by mass of waste paper using a plastics homogenizer. The composites were crushed and processed by extrusion to produce sustainable filaments. Office waste paper, composed mainly of cellulose, presented a crystallinity degree of 67% and a fibrous structure with distinct patterns, elongated and flattened, with the formation of agglomerates. The polymeric samples showed stable thermal behavior up to 235 ºC, melting at 165 ºC. The compatibilized composite presented higher complex viscosity concerning recycled and commercial PP and a longer service life concerning the composite without compatibilizer agents. Finally, the filaments were physically and morphologically characterized and used for 3D printing as specimens for mechanical tests. Recycled PP and composites showed values of strength, modulus, deformation at break, and hardness that were adequate and similar to the commercial PP but with less resistance to impact strength. The micrographs confirmed the patterns of filling and deposition of layers of the printed specimens, presenting material with recycled matrix and composites with a homogeneous surface, few or no apparent defects, and good dispersion of the residual paper in the thermoplastic matrix. The combination of these factors allowed obtaining sustainable filaments with adequate properties to be used in FDM 3D printing. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 19/02607-6 - 3D printing sustainable filament from recycled polypropylene reinforced with waste paper
Grantee:Daniel Magalhães de Oliveira
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate