Recycled Polymer for FDM 3D Printing Filament Material: Circular Economy for Sustainability of Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

Plastics have become the most popular and ubiquitous material in our daily lives and global plastic production has increased significantly. A large portion of the plastic is used to produce disposable packaging items, which are discarded and accumulated as post-consumer wastes both on the land and oceans. Distributive recycling of waste plastics through additive manufacturing became the most effective solution to overcome environmental pollution and reduce the use of fossil oils and gases. With the rise of additive manufacturing, the demand for polymers has increased exponentially and many scholars are concerned about how 3D printing filaments should be reproduced from recycled plastics. This review aimed to study the potentials of using recycled plastic for 3D printing filament to minimize environmental pollution and preserve material sustainability. The study revealed promising results for the use of recycled post-consumer plastic as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly 3D printing filament material. The impact of plastic degradation on their mechanical and thermal properties due to subsequent extrusion and contamination of plastics by impurities was also studied. Besides, the additive materials used to enhance mechanical properties and increase the molecular weight of recycled material are discussed. Finally, a conclusion is drawn and future research opportunities are also addressed.