The study focuses on the mechanical
performance of a blend of ocean-recycled
high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) and polypropylene (rPP) and explores
the effect of adding burlap biocarbon from post-industrial waste as
a filler. This study aims to upcycle ocean-recycled plastic and post-industrial
waste and to compare the conventional injection molding with 3D printing.
The Taguchi-gray relational analysis was utilized to determine the
preferred printing conditions for both the rHDPE–rPP blend
and the rHDPE–rPP–biocarbon composite. The study found
that the preferred printing conditions for the rHDPE–rPP blend
were a raster angle of 0°, a printing speed of 900 mm/min, and
a nozzle temperature of 215 °C, while the preferred printing
conditions for the rHDPE–rPP–biocarbon composite were
a raster angle of 0°, a printing speed of 1200 mm/min, and a
nozzle temperature of 255 °C. The study also compared the mechanical
properties of 3D printed and injection-molded samples, with the 3D
printed rHDPE–rPP blend samples, demonstrating higher tensile
and flexural moduli with a percent increase of 7 and 12%, respectively,
compared to the injection-molded counterparts. However, no considerable
difference in tensile and flexural modulus was observed between 3D
printed and injection-molded samples of the rHDPE–rPP–biocarbon
composite. Moreover, it was also found that the addition of biocarbon
resulted in an enhancement in the tensile and flexural modulus of
the optimized 3D printed specimen with an increase of 17 and 5%, respectively.
However, both the 3D printed rHDPE–rPP blend and rHDPE–rPP–biocarbon
composite exhibited a decrease in impact strength of 63 and 23%, respectively,
compared to the injection-molded counterparts.