Reinforcement of Polylactic acid (PLA) bio-composite with lignin from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) for 3D printing application

Abstract Polylactic acid (PLA) has been used as an additive material in 3D printing due to its toxic-free and environmentally friendly property. Lignin with complex and branched chemical structures had been used as a filler to improve the mechanical strength of PLA. The availability of oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) in Malaysia had made this material a good source for lignin extraction. Thus, in this research, we aim to study the mechanical strength of PLA bio-composite material with reinforcement of lignin from OPEFB. The lignin was extracted by 1,4-dioxane with hydrochloric acid as a catalyst. The recovery of lignin from extraction solvent was done by precipitation. The lignin was successfully extracted from OPEFB with 9.04% of lignin extraction yield. The PLA/lignin bio-composite filament with 0.1% (w/w) lignin was performed by filament extruder and then used for 3D printing. The prepared sample in the form of filament and 3D printed material was characterized for mechanical strength and surface morphology. The Young’s modulus, ultimate strength and elongation at break of the PLA/lignin bio-composite sample had increased 11%, 7% and 10% respectively. After the filament was used for 3D printing, the reduction of mechanical strength had been observed. The morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the presence of lignin on the fracture surface of PLA bio-composite material. Apart from that, the interlayer adhesion had been observed in the 3D printed PLA/lignin bio-composite that caused the drop in mechanical strength of the material.

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Fused Filament Fabrication 3D Printed Polylactic Acid Electroosmotic Pumps

Lab on a Chip ◽

10.1039/d1lc00452b ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Liang Wu ◽

Stephen Beirne ◽

Joan-Marc Cabot Canyelles ◽

Brett Paull ◽

Gordon G. Wallace ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

3D Printing ◽

Polylactic Acid ◽

Fused Filament Fabrication ◽

Flexible Approach ◽

Electroosmotic Pump ◽

3D Printed ◽

Electroosmotic Pumps

Additive manufacturing (3D printing) offers a flexible approach for the production of bespoke microfluidic structures such as the electroosmotic pump. Here a readily accessible fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing...

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Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Wood-Plastic Composites

Key Engineering Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.777.499 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 777 ◽

pp. 499-507 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ossi Martikka ◽

Timo Kärki ◽

Qing Ling Wu

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Composite Materials ◽

3D Printing ◽

Impact Strength ◽

Polylactic Acid ◽

Wood Plastic Composite ◽

Wood Plastic Composites ◽

Plastic Composite ◽

Plastic Composites ◽

3D Printed

3D printing has rapidly become popular in both industry and private use. Especially fused deposition modeling has increased its popularity due to its relatively low cost. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge in the mechanical properties of parts made of wood-plastic composite materials by using 3D printing. The tensile properties and impact strength of two 3D-printed commercial wood-plastic composite materials are studied and compared to those made of pure polylactic acid. Relative to weight –mechanical properties and the effect of the amount of fill on the properties are also determined. The results indicate that parts made of wood-plastic composites have notably lower tensile strength and impact strength that those made of pure polylactic acid. The mechanical properties can be considered sufficient for low-stress applications, such as visualization of prototypes and models or decorative items.

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DESIGN OF A 3D-PRINTED THREE-CLAW ROBOTIC GRIPPER END-EFFECTOR

ASEAN Engineering Journal ◽

10.11113/aej.v11.17865 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 70-79

Author(s):

Dino Dominic Forte Ligutan ◽

Argel Alejandro Bandala ◽

Jason Limon Española ◽

Richard Josiah Calayag Tan Ai ◽

Ryan Rhay Ponce Vicerra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

3D Printing ◽

Polylactic Acid ◽

Grip Force ◽

Thermoplastic Polyurethane ◽

Robotic Arm ◽

End Effector ◽

Design Considerations ◽

3D Printed ◽

Materials Used ◽

Metal Work

The development of a novel 3D-printed three-claw robotic gripper shall be described in this paper with the goal of incorporating various design considerations. Such considerations include the grip reliability and stability, grip force maximization, wide object grasping capability. Modularization of its components is another consideration that allows its parts to be easily machined and reusable. The design was realized by 3D printing using a combination of tough polylactic acid (PLA) material and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material. In practice, additional tolerances were also considered for 3D printing of materials to compensate for possible expansion or shrinkage of the materials used to achieve the required functionality. The aim of the study is to explore the design and eventually deploy the three-claw robotic gripper to an actual robotic arm once its metal work fabrication is finished.

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Enhancement of the Compressive Strength of 3D-Printed Polylactic Acid(PLA) by Controlling Internal Pattern

Materials Science Forum ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.1023.75 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1023 ◽

pp. 75-81

Author(s):

Aappo Mustakangas ◽

Atef Hamada ◽

Antti Järvenpää

Keyword(s):

Compressive Strength ◽

3D Printing ◽

Polylactic Acid ◽

Optical Microscope ◽

Fused Filament Fabrication ◽

Loading Direction ◽

Compressive Flow ◽

3D Printed ◽

Cost Efficient ◽

Loading Axis

Cost-efficient 3D-printing can create a lot of new opportunities in engineering as it enables rapid prototyping of models and functional parts. In the present study, Polylactic acid (PLA) cubic specimens with different types of infill patterns (IPs), rectilinear, grid and cuboid, were additively manufactured by Fused Filament Fabrication 3D-printing. The PLA cubes are fabricated with one perimeter and different IPs density (10, 20, and 30%). Subsequently, the compressive strengths of the PLA materials were measured in two loading directions, i.e., the layers building direction is parallel (PD) to the loading axis and perpendicular (ND) to the loading direction. An optical microscope was used to examine the deformed IPs in both loading directions. The compressive flow stress curves of the PLA cubes infilled with rectilinear and grid patterns exhibited strong fluctuations with lower compressive strengths in the loading direction along ND. The PLA with 30% grid IP revealed a superior strength of ~12 kN in the loading direction along PD. On the contrary, the same material exhibited a worst compressive strength 3 kN along ND.

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Effects of post-curing conditions on mechanical properties of 3D printed clear dental aligners

Rapid Prototyping Journal ◽

10.1108/rpj-04-2019-0118 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (8) ◽

pp. 1337-1344 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Prashant Jindal ◽

Mamta Juneja ◽

Divya Bajaj ◽

Francesco Luke Siena ◽

Philip Breedon

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

3D Printing ◽

Mechanical Strength ◽

Financial Burden ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Cost Savings ◽

Time Duration ◽

Content Type ◽

Curing Conditions ◽

3D Printed

Purpose 3D printing techniques have been widely used for manufacturing complex parts for various dental applications. For achieving suitable mechanical strength, post-cure processing is necessary, where the relative time duration and temperature specification also needs to be defined. The purpose of this study/paper is to assess the effects of post curing conditions and mechanical properties of 3D printed clear dental aligners Design/methodology/approach Dental long-term clear resin material has been used for 3D printing of dental aligners using a Formlabs 3D printer for direct usage on patients. Post-curing conditions have been varied, all of which have been subjected to mechanical compression loading of 1,000 N to evaluate the curing effects on the mechanical strength of the aligners. Findings The experimental studies provide significant insight into both temperatures and time durations that could provide sufficient compressive mechanical strength to the 3D printed clear dental aligners. It was observed that uncured aligners deformed plastically with large deformations under the loading conditions, whereas aligners cured between 400°C–800°C for 15–20 min deformed elastically before fragmenting into pieces after safely sustaining higher compressive loads between 495 N and 666 N. The compressive modulus ratio for cured aligners ranged between 4.46 and 5.90 as compared to uncured aligners. For shorter cure time durations and lower temperature conditions, an appropriate elevated compressive strength was also achieved. Originality/value Based on initial assessments by dental surgeons, suitable customised clear aligners can be designed, printed and cured to the desired levels based on patient’s requirements. This could result in time, energy and unit production cost savings, which ultimately would help to alleviate the financial burden placed on both the health service and their patients.

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Mechanical Strength Enhancement of Polylactic Acid Hybrid Composites

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym11020349 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 349 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ji-Won Park ◽

Jae-Ho Shin ◽

Gyu-Seong Shim ◽

Kyeng-Bo Sim ◽

Seong-Wook Jang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Composite Material ◽

Mechanical Strength ◽

Polylactic Acid ◽

Mechanical Performance ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Hybrid Composites ◽

Structural Characteristics ◽

Scanning Calorimetry ◽

Environmental Friendliness ◽

Research Attention

In recent years, there has been an increasing need for materials that are environmentally friendly and have functional properties. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biomass-based polymer, which has attracted research attention as an eco-friendly material. Various studies have been conducted on functionality imparting and performance improvement to extend the field of application of PLA. Particularly, research on natural fiber-reinforced composites have been conducted to simultaneously improve their environmental friendliness and mechanical strength. Research interest in hybrid composites using two or more fillers to realize multiple functions are also increasing. Phase change materials (PCMs) absorb and emit energy through phase transition and can be used as a micro encapsulated structure. In this study, we fabricated hybrid composites using microcapsulated PCM (MPCM) and the natural fibrous filler, kenaf. We aimed to fabricate a composite material with improved endothermic characteristics, mechanical performance, and environmental friendliness. We analyzed the endothermic properties of MPCM and the structural characteristics of two fillers and finally produced an eco-friendly composite material. The PCM and kenaf contents were varied to observe changes in the performance of the hybrid composites. The endothermic properties were determined through differential scanning calorimetry, whereas changes in the physical properties of the hybrid composite were determined by measuring the mechanical properties.

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Microcrystalline Cellulose from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches as Filler in Polylactic Acid

Polymers and Polymer Composites ◽

10.1177/096739111602400901 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (9) ◽

pp. 675-680 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

M.K. Mohamad Haafiz ◽

Azman Hassan ◽

Reza Arjmandi ◽

Zainoha Zakaria ◽

M.M. Marliana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polylactic Acid ◽

Microcrystalline Cellulose ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Empty Fruit Bunches

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Zinc Doped Halloysite Cooperating with Polylactic Acid for Bone Regeneration

10.20944/preprints202005.0165.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yangyang Luo ◽

Ahmed Humayun ◽

David Mills

Keyword(s):

Surface Modification ◽

Mechanical Strength ◽

Polylactic Acid ◽

Type I Collagen ◽

Halloysite Nanotubes ◽

Calcium Deposition ◽

Material Surface ◽

Type I ◽

3D Scaffold ◽

3D Printed

Three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques have received considerable focus in the area of bone engineering due to its precise control in the fabrication of complex structures with customizable shapes, internal and external architectures, mechanical strength, and bioactivity. In this study, we design a new composition biomaterial consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) loaded with zinc nanoparticles (PLA+H+Zn). The hydrophobic surface of the 3D printed scaffold was coated with two layers of fetal bovine serum (FBS) on the sides and one layer of NaOH in the middle. Additionally, a layer of gentamicin was coated on the outermost layer against bacterial infection. Scaffolds were cultured in standard cell culture medium without the addition of osteogenic medium. This surface modification strategy improved material hydrophilicity and enhanced cell adhesion. Pre-osteoblasts cultured on these scaffolds differentiated into osteoblasts and proceeded to produce a type I collagen matrix and subsequent calcium deposition. 3D printed scaffolds formed from this composition possessed high mechanical strength and showed an osteoinductive potential. Furthermore, the external coating of antibiotics not only preserved the previous osteogenic properties of the 3D scaffold but also significantly reduced bacterial growth. Our surface modification model enabled the fabrication of a material surface that was hydrophilic and antibacterial, simultaneously, with an osteogenic property. The designed PLA+H+Zn may be a viable candidate for the fabrication of customized bone implants.

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Effect of Porosity and Crystallinity on 3D Printed PLA Properties

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym11091487 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 1487 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Yuhan Liao ◽

Chang Liu ◽

Bartolomeo Coppola ◽

Giuseppina Barra ◽

Luciano Di Maio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Heat Treatment ◽

Additive Manufacturing ◽

3D Printing ◽

Polylactic Acid ◽

Complex Geometry ◽

Fused Filament Fabrication ◽

3D Printed ◽

Physical Changes ◽

Crystalline Forms

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising technology for the rapid tooling and fabrication of complex geometry components. Among all AM techniques, fused filament fabrication (FFF) is the most widely used technique for polymers. However, the consistency and properties control of the FFF product remains a challenging issue. This study aims to investigate physical changes during the 3D printing of polylactic acid (PLA). The correlations between the porosity, crystallinity and mechanical properties of the printed parts were studied. Moreover, the effects of the build-platform temperature were investigated. The experimental results confirmed the anisotropy of printed objects due to the occurrence of orientation phenomena during the filament deposition and the formation both of ordered and disordered crystalline forms (α and δ, respectively). A heat treatment post-3D printing was proposed as an effective method to improve mechanical properties by optimizing the crystallinity (transforming the δ form into the α one) and overcoming the anisotropy of the 3D printed object.

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