Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is reshaping the world by reforming the way materials are manufactured. Extrusion-based additive manufacturing (EAM), is one of the 3d printing techniques that could be used for printing thermoplastics. Because of its simplicity and low-cost, EAM receives more attention compared to other techniques for printing thermoplastics. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), two huge members of the polyolefin family, are the most widely used commodity thermoplastics with applications in various industries. However, regular-grade PP and PE are difficult to print with EAM because they shrink and warp during printing. Certain grades of polyolefin were more suitable for EAM, however, possess inferior mechanical performances which limit their structural applications. Cellulose fibers are strong reinforcements for commodity thermoplastics. Additionally, incorporating cellulose fibers in polyolefin will potentially reduce the overall crystallinity and thermal expansion of polyolefin, making it more printable. In this study, cellulose fibers will be compounded with polyolefin of suitable grades to generate feedstock for EAM. The influence of filler content and polymer grade on the dimensional stability, thermal properties, and mechanical performances of printed polyolefin composites will be investigated.

Cellulose fiber reinforced polyolefin composites for large-scale additive manufacturing

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