Recycling potential of MWCNTs/HDPE nanocomposite filament: 3D printing and mechanical characterization

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) based additive manufacturing (AM) process is a widely used and emerging manufacturing process for polymer-based products. The recycled filaments are realized through wastage generated while extruding the constant diameter feedstock filament, which is otherwise dumped in landfills or incinerated, releasing hazardous and toxic gases that influence the ecological environment. The wastage of these filaments can be eliminated by recycling and reusing them, addressing materials circular economy effectively, presented in this paper. The functionalized MWCNT reinforced HDPE (high-density polyethylene) nanocomposite (NC) is realized through a brabender, which is further used for filament extrusion. The waste/unrecycled (W/UR) and the recycled filaments are checked for quality. The density of the recycled filaments increases compared to the W/UR filament in each extrusion pass. The crystallinity and tensile properties of the recycled filaments increase compared to the W/UR filament with each additional extrusion cycle. Further, these filaments are used for 3D printing, and investigated for density, XRD and tensile tests. It is observed that the density, crystallinity and tensile properties of the recycled prints increase compared to the W/UR print. The tensile strength and modulus of 1 × , 2  ×  and 3 × prints are 63.82, 67.11 and 67.76%, and 45.63, 55.34 and 97.81% respectively, higher than those of the W/UR print. The highest tensile strength and modulus are observed for 3 × print which is 67.76 and 97.81% respectively, higher than those of the W/UR print. 3D prints exhibited enhanced performance as compared to their respective filaments. Finally, the present tensile results are mapped on a property chart, and compared with the available HDPE composites.