Revalorization of Australian royal palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) waste as reinforcement in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) for use in 3D printing pen

Abstract

This study assesses the potential revaluation of solid waste from palm residues for use as reinforcement in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) matrix to develop a composite filament that is more environmentally friendly. Filaments were processed using a thermokinetic mixer and then processed by a mini extruder using different fiber loadings (5, 10, 15, and 20% wt.). The effect of the fiber contents on the morphological, chemical, and thermal properties was evaluated, and environmental analysis was performed using the life cycle assessment. For a concept-proof, the materials were printed using a 3D printing pen. Pristine ABS presented no porosity, while filament composites showed a porous structure due to fiber presence and higher fiber loading induced pores with a diameter smaller than 50 μm. ABS and filament composites presented similar FTIR spectra; however, the hydrogen-bonding coefficient indicated a better fiber-matrix interaction for the ABS/15%Palm composition, increasing 42% compared to ABS. Filament's composites presented a slight decrease in thermal stability, which does not compromise its processing temperature, while the Tg presented similar values to pristine ABS. The life cycle assessment demonstrated beneficial environmental gains with fiber inclusion, especially for agricultural land occupation and ozone depletion impact categories. The filaments were successfully printed using a 3D printing pen showing the viability of using the developed filaments, and new applications may be promoted. Thus, the revalorization of palm fibers in the ABS matrix presents a low-cost alternative for filaments production and may expand 3D printing applications with more sustainable materials that could enable new applications in the additive manufacturing area.