Three-Dimensional Printing with Waste High-Density Polyethylene

Abstract

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) three-dimensional (3D) printing of semicrystalline polymers such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is challenging because crystallization-induced shrinkage of the filament, as it cools, results in stresses that warp the printed part and debond it from the print substrate. Here, we demonstrate that waste-derived HDPE can be successfully 3D printed by (i) blending with a small fraction (<0.5% by weight) of dimethyl dibenzylidene sorbitol (DMDBS) and (∼10%) linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and (ii) printing the object with a thin “brim” around it that is adhered to the print substrate using common polyvinyl acetate-based glue. We match our experimental results with FEM simulations that provide insight into the origin of the stresses developed during printing. Because HDPE forms a significant fraction of the plastic waste stream, conversion of waste-derived HDPE to 3D printing filament has important technological implications.

Polymeric composite materials for radiation shielding: a review

“…Conversion of waste-derived high-density polyethylene to three-dimensional (3D) printing filament has important technological implications. A facile strategy to expand the palette of waste-derived polymer materials for fused filament fabrication (FFF) three-dimensional (3D) printing was explained in details (Gudadhe et al 2019 ). The polymer–matrix composites based on recycled high-density polyethylene with either lead oxide nanoparticles or lead oxide bulk using 10 and 50% weight fractions were synthesized by solid-state intermixing and thermal pressing technique.…”

“…The mechanical behavior of the composite after adding various wt% of graphite powder (GP 10 weight %), TiO 2 (10 weight %), and modified clay CLOISITE 30B revealed that by addition of graphite powder or titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), the composite showed better tensile properties (Marinkovic et al 2013 ). By incorporating O-hydroxybenzene diazonium chloride (OBDC), silane, and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) in sisal fiber-reinforced recycled polypropylene composites, the mechanical properties of the composite were preferably enhanced by O-hydroxybenzene diazonium chloride (OBDC)/recycled polypropylene composites (Gupta et al 2014 ). Various amounts of clay content (Cloisite 10A 1 to 6 weight %) were added to recycled polyethylene terephthalate/clay nanocomposites.…”

Defects and defect engineering in Soft Matter

“…Kumaraswamy and coworkers modified the shrinkage of high density polyethylene melts upon cooling induced by crystallization via the addition of B0.4% dimethyl dibenzylidene sorbitol and B10% of linear low density polyethylene. 206 With this modification, the warpage of high density polyethylene in a three-dimensional printing process is significantly minimized. This approach was even applicable for recycled polymers that were processed at least one time before use in the 3D printing process.…”

Fast Hydrolytically Degradable 3D Printed Object Based on Aliphatic Polycarbonate Thiol‐Yne Photoresins

“…For melting/extrusion based 3D printing processes, the majority of current research involves eco‐friendly materials, such as thermoplastic polylactic acid (PLA), [ 21 ] hemicellulosic biopolymers extracted from lignocellulosic agricultural wastes, [ 22 ] and recycled waste‐derived high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). [ 23 ] Very recently, soybean oil methacrylates [ 24 ] and highly functional bio‐based (meth)acrylate resins synthesized from epoxidized sucrose soyate [ 25 ] have been applied as photopolymer resins for commercial SLA printers.…”