Composite Filament Made from Post-used Styrofoam and Corn Husk Fiber for Fuse Deposition Modeling

ABSTRACT

This research aimed at developing composite filament for fuse deposition modeling (FDM) application was carried out by recycling post-used expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) as a binding matrix for natural fibers derived from corn husk (CH) waste. The recycled polystyrene (rPS) resin, CH fibers, and predefined amount of processing aid were primarily compounded using a Brabender® internal mixer to produce composite masterbatch feedstock. The composite masterbatch was further blended with measured amount of rPS resin, and the mixtures were extruded into composite filament containing different weight percentage (wt%) of CH fiber loading, ranging from 2.5 to 10 wt%. The 3D printability of the composite filament was assessed through observation on melt flow behavior and viscosity of the molten composite material subjected to typical FDM process conditions, where tensile dumbbell specimen was produced. Through repeated attempts carried out to FDM 3D-print the rPS/CH fiber filled composite filament, the result suggested that higher FDM extrusion percentage was required to produce quality part from composite filament with increase fiber content from 2.5 to 7.5 wt%. Composite filament with 10 wt% fiber loading failed to be printed due to premature thermal degradation and the slightly higher melt viscosity that tend to clog the printer nozzle.

摘要

以玉米壳废料为原料，利用废旧聚苯乙烯泡沫塑料（EPS）作为天然纤维的黏结基质，研制了用于熔融沉积模拟（FDM）的复合纤维. 再生聚苯乙烯（rPS）树脂，CH纤维和预定义量的加工助剂主要是用Brabender复合® 密炼机生产复合色母粒原料. 将所述复合母粒与所测定量的rPS树脂进一步共混，并将所述混合物挤出成含有不同重量百分比（wt%）的CH纤维负载量（2.5～10 wt%）的复合长丝. 通过观察熔融复合材料在典型FDM工艺条件下的熔体流动行为和粘度，评价了复合材料长丝的3D印刷适性. 通过对rPS/CH纤维填充复合长丝进行FDM三维打印的反复尝试，结果表明，用纤维含量从2.5%增加到7.5%时，复合长丝生产优质零件需要较高的FDM挤出率. 纤维含量为10%的复合长丝由于过早的热降解和稍高的熔体粘度而无法打印，这会堵塞打印机喷嘴.

KEYWORDS:

• Composite filament
• post-used expanded polystyrene foam
• corn husk fiber
• fuse deposition modeling

关键词:;:

• 复合长丝
• 用过的聚苯乙烯泡沫塑料
• 玉米壳纤维
• 熔敷成型

Biographical note

Mr. J. J. Ariel Leong is an undergraduate student in Mechanical Engineering from Taylor’s University, Malaysia (E-mail: [email protected]). He has good experience in 3D-printing process.

Dr. S. C. Koay is senior lecturer from Taylor’s University, Malaysia. He is a corresponding author of this manuscript. (E-mail: [email protected]). He is always active in research related to recycling plastic material and polymeric composite materials, ranging from fabrication, characterization and processing of wood plastic composite, fibre-reinforced material, and pariculate-filled material, and composite material. Recently, he also focuses on research related to 3D-printing material for fuse deposition modelling.

Dr. M. Y. Chan is a senior lecturer from Tunku Abdul Rahman College University. (E-mail: [email protected]). She is an active researcher in polymeric materials, ranging from fabrication, characterization, and processing of biocomposite film, fiber-reinforced, and particulate-filled, and composite material. Currently, she also focuses on research related with 3D-printing material for fuse deposition modelling.

Dr. H. L. Choo is a senior lecturer from Taylor’s University, Malaysia. (E-mail: [email protected]). His expertise is in manufacturing additives including fuse deposition modelling and metal laser sintering process.

Associate Professor Dr. K. Y. Tshai is an associate professor from University of Nottingham Malaysia. (E-mail: [email protected]). He is currently leading the R&D in diverse research areas of polymer composites, ranging from fabrication, characterization, and processing of polymers, fiber-reinforced, particulate-filled, nano, and functionalized composites of natural and synthetic origin.

Ts. T. K. Ong is a senior lecturer from Tunku Abdul Rahman College University (E-mail: [email protected]). He also focuses on research related to nanocellulose fibre-reinforced polymer composites material.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Performance Additive Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, for providing Ultra-Plast^TM WP516 for this research. The authors would like thank to Taylor’s University and Tunku Abdul Rahman College University for providing materials and equipment to complete this research.