Abstract
Material extrusion 3D-printing based on fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a cost-effective and material-efficient technique which has been absorbed the attention of researchers and industries. Bound powder extrusion is significantly less expensive, more accessible, far safer, and more user friendly than expensive AM processes; the powder is no longer hazardous when bound within the filament. However, this technique is still in its infancy and the available knowledge for developing end-use parts by FFF from a wide range of materials selection is still very limited. Therefore, the call for development of novel feedstock materials for this technique tailored towards specific applications is exceedingly high in the next few decades. The most widely used feedstock materials so far for FFF are thermoplastic polymers such as polylactic acid, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) which suffer from poor mechanical properties, high brittleness, and not being degradable. To tackle the aforementioned issues, reinforcing polymers with fillers have been studied by various groups. Among others, wood flour (WF), as a natural filer and by-product of wood industry, has been shown various advantages to produce polymer based composite materials, such as high reinforcement ability, biodegradability, and compostability. The present study investigates the development of biocomposite feedstock compatible with FFF 3D printing based on bio-based polymers such as PLA and wood flour as the biofiller, in consideration of sustainability and affordability. The effective reinforcement of biopolymer with wood filler will not only reduce the depletion of wood resources but also minimize the adverse effects of fossil fuel-based plastic production on the environment. The physico-mechanical properties and recyclability of the filaments and 3D-printed parts have been also evaluated. To improve mechanical properties of FFF 3D printed parts, the printing parameters have been optimized by using Taguchi and ANOVA optimization methods. The results showed that proper optimization of 3D printing parameters through a systematic and robust experimental design, as well as proper formulation of the feedstock with suitable physico-mechanical properties are critical to obtain high quality printed biocomposites for end-use applications in high-demand industries such as construction and automotive.