Commercial Filament Research Articles

Continuous Material Deposition on Filaments in Fused Deposition Modeling.

A novel approach, i.e., Continuous Material Deposition on Filaments (CMDF), for the incorporation of active materials within 3D-printed structures is presented. It is based on passing a filament through a solution in which the active material is dissolved together with the polymer from which the filament is made. This enables the fabrication of a variety of functional 3D-printed objects by fused deposition modeling (FDM) using commercial filaments without post-treatment processes. This generic approach has been demonstrated in objects using three different types of materials, Rhodamine B, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), and Ciprofloxacin (Cip). The functionality of these objects is demonstrated through strong antibacterial activity in ZnO NPs and the controlled release of the antibiotic Cip. CMDF does not alter the mechanical properties of FDM-printed structures, can be applied with any type of FDM printer, and is, therefore, expected to have applications in a wide variety of fields.

Analysis of emission of volatile organic compounds and thermal degradation in investment casting using fused deposition modeling (FDM) and three-dimensional printing (3DP) made of various thermoplastic polymers.

The study examined the degradation process of various types of polymers used to form models using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) and three-dimensional printing (3DP) methods and used in the investment casting method. Commercial filaments made of polylactide (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene terpolymer (ABS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyamide 12 (PA12), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and polypropylene (PP) were used to produce gypsum molds. The assessment included organic volatile compounds (VOCs) released during mold heating and model degradation, which is characteristic of this technological process. The screening qualitative chromatographic analysis of decomposition products sampled from various points of the production hall made it possible to define potential threats related to the processing of selected polymers and the necessary preventive measures. Furthermore, passive diffusion-type samplers were used at the sampling stage of VOCs emitted to the gaseous phase to reduce nuisance and user interference. Studies have been completed to characterize the thermoplastic polymer degradation process. The coupled thermogravimetry (TGA) with analysis of gaseous products by infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transformation (FT-IR) has been used. The presented results are the first to compare and rate the use of this still-developing novel aspect of castings by the method of fused models.

Sustainable polymer reclamation: recycling poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol (PETG) for 3D printing applications

Due to their versatile properties and wide-ranging applications across various industries, including manufacturing, polymers are indispensable for today’s society. However, polymer-based products significantly impact the environment since many are single-used plastics and require a long time to degrade naturally. A method to attenuate end-of-life polymers’ ill effects is recycling them to bring them again into the production cycle, from grave to cradle. This investigation involves recycling PETG sheets used in face shield production during the COVID-19 outbreak to fabricate 3D printing filaments for FFF. We assessed poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol (PETG) processability to up to five recycling cycles and obtained filaments with properties adequate for 3D printing. Rheological, thermal, morphological, and mechanical characterization were analyzed to verify the effect of the number of processing cycles on the properties of the polymer. The recycling cycles originated a decrease in viscosity and elasticity, and the gain in molecular mobility resulted, relatively, in solids with a higher degree of crystallinity and prints with more elliptical depositions. The mechanical properties of printed parts fabricated of recycled material were comparable to those from commercial filament, especially after three extrusion cycles. Both extrusion and additive manufacturing processes successfully recycle material into filaments and printed parts, indicating that the proposed methodology is a promising alternative to bring value back to polymers from solid waste.

New Filaments from Used Disposable Face Masks as an Alternative 3D Printing Filament in the 3D Printing Industry

This study aimed to examine an innovative approach for recycling and repurposing used disposable face masks to create a new 3D printing filament and to compare the mechanical properties of the developed 3D printing filament (DF) with recycled filament (RF) and commercial filament (CF). The development of the new 3D printing filaments involved examining three key pieces of information: (1) optimal melting point ranges, (2) weight, and (3) visual colors for each layer of the face mask. Using an experimental research design, the researchers melted-down disposable face masks to create the filament and analyzed its properties in comparison with RF and CF. No significant differences were identified in terms of strength among CF, RF, and DF types. The findings highlight the potential effectiveness of using disposable face masks as an alternative 3D printing material, contributing to the design and production in the 3D printing industry.

Novel 3D printing filaments: PLA and zinc carbonate basic composites for laser-assisted thermal decomposition

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, has revolutionized the production of complex geometric structures across various industries. This study presents an innovative approach by integrating zinc carbonate basic (ZCB) precursor with polylactic acid (PLA) to develop composite filaments for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printers. The resulting filaments undergo surface transformation into zinc oxide (ZnO) through high-power laser irradiation. Thermal analysis (TGA-DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to confirm the decomposition of ZCB ([ZnCO₃]₂·[Zn(OH)₂]₃) into ZnO during the thermal decomposition stages. The study successfully extruded a composite filament containing 10% of ZCB, which worked adequately in 3D printing. The printed parts were analyzed through tensile tests (based on ASTM D638-5 standard), showing a notable difference in mechanical behavior between the commercial filament PLA and the composite filament (PLAC10). Laser irradiation of these samples facilitated a targeted conversion to ZnO, verified through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The integration of zinc oxide within the printed structures enhances structural stability and provides surfaces enriched with ZnO, a metal oxide with widely reported applications. Furthermore, an irradiated 3D-printed sample demonstrated chemo-resistive properties upon carbon monoxide (CO) exposure, underlining its potential as a gas sensor and confirming its semiconductor nature. This approach provides a cost-effective and efficient way to develop innovative devices with integrated functional materials.

The role of crystallization and annealing on the thermal conductivity of material extrusion additively manufactured parts

Despite the significant research being conducted on the mechanical reliability of additively manufactured parts, comparatively little focus has been paid to the property of thermal conductivity. Additively manufactured thermally conductive parts have the potential to benefit thermal management technologies that are currently a bottleneck of many classes of advanced electronic devices. Creating parts with high thermal conductivities remains a major challenge for the most prevalent form of material extrusion additive manufacturing, fused filament fabrication, which creates parts by extruding multiple layers of molten polymeric extrudate using an automated gantry system. The low thermal conductivity of these parts stems from several types of interfaces and voids inherent to the fused filament fabrication additive process, which create significant internal resistance to the flow of heat through a part. To increase thermal conductivity, many researchers and companies have added thermally conductive particles into the polymeric filaments. Still the achievable properties are largely constrained by the printing defects inherent to the printing process, especially when compared to injection molded parts. In this work, we investigate the role of thermal post-processing to both anneal the printed part and to tune the crystallization state of the polymer. We find that careful thermal post-processing of parts made with commercial filaments can improve thermal conductivity values to 2.5 times the as-printed property values. Further, we detail several correlations between processing conditions and thermal conductivity outcomes that will improve the implementation of fused filament fabrication for addressing thermal management challenges in industry.

A miniaturized additive-manufactured carbon black/PLA electrochemical sensor for pharmaceuticals detection

Additive manufacturing is a technique that allows the construction of prototypes and has evolved a lot in the last 20 years, innovating industrial fabrication processes in several areas. In chemistry, additive manufacturing has been used in several functionalities, such as microfluidic analytical devices, energy storage devices, and electrochemical sensors. Theophylline and paracetamol are important pharmaceutical drugs where overdosing can cause adverse effects, such as tachycardia, seizures, and even renal failure. Therefore, this paper aims at the development of miniaturized electrochemical sensors using 3D printing and polylactic acid-based conductive carbon black commercial filament for theophylline and paracetamol detection. Electrochemical characterizations of the proposed sensor were performed to prove the functionality of the device. Morphological characterizations were carried out, in which chemical treatment could change the surface structure, causing the improvement of the analytical signal. Thus, the detection of theophylline at a linear range of 5.00–150 μmol L−1 with a limit of detection of 1.2 μmol L−1 was attained, and the detection of paracetamol at a linear range of 1.00–200 μmol L−1 with a limit of detection of 0.370 μmol L−1 was obtained, demonstrating the proposed sensor effectively detected pharmaceutical drugs.

Plastic waste recycling in additive manufacturing: Recovery of polypropylene from WEEE for the production of 3D printing filaments

The inefficient management of wastes recovered from electric and electronic apparatuses (the so-called WEEE or e-waste) has become a severe global concern in the last years, since the indiscriminate accumulation of wastes containing hazardous material poses serious risks for the environmental, as well as for the human health. Despite the continuous development of innovative and efficient technologies for the mechanical recycling of WEEE plastics, the effective re-utilization of these fractions is often limited by their poor value-added. In this work, we propose a strategy for the valorization of a typical WEEE plastic stream recovered from small appliances (mainly composed on polypropylene filled with talc particles) through the formulation of filaments suitable for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing processes. Preliminary spectroscopic analyses on the WEEE plastics allowed separating the sample in two streams, according to the different content of talc. Both streams were first characterized from a rheological point of view, aiming at assessing their 3D printability. Then, the mechanical properties and the morphology of the filaments (obtained after a close optimization of the extrusion conditions) were evaluated; the obtained results indicated the achievement of a regular geometry and mechanical properties comparable to those of commercial filaments. Finally, 3D printed specimens showed a satisfactory quality in terms of resolution and definition, demonstrating the possibility of profitably enhancing the value-added of WEEE plastics, using them as feedstock to produce sustainable 3D printing filaments.

The Effect of Slicer Infill Pattern on the Electrochemical Performance of Additively Manufactured Electrodes

AbstractIn this work we report the dramatic effects that changing the infill pattern has on the electrochemical performance of an additively manufactured electrode made from commercial filament. Electrodes were produced using six different slicing patterns and imaged to confirm how the infill pattern altered the working electrode surface. These electrodes were then electrochemically characterised against the near‐ideal outer sphere redox probe [Ru(NH3)6]3+, the common inner sphere probe [Fe(CN)6]3−, and then used for the electroanalytical determination of acetaminophen. It was found that changing the infill pattern had a dramatic effect on the electrochemical performance of the electrodes. Over the course of the manuscript, it can be seen that Aligned Rectilinear and Rectilinear infill patterns perform consistently well and offer good reproducibility. On the other hand, Concentric infill pattern had noticeably poor inter‐electrode reproducibility and the Hilbert Curve infill was one of the worst performing electrodes in many categories. For future work in this field, we recommend the infill pattern is always reported within the experimental section to allow other researchers to repeat work properly. Additionally, when optimising an electroanalytical sensing platform, we encourage researchers to optimise the infill pattern as it has direct influence on the analytical parameters.

Mechanical Recycling of Waste PLA Generated From 3D Printing Activities: Filament Production and Thermomechanical Analysis

AbstractThere is a growing need to address waste generated from Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing activities. This study explores the mechanical recycling of waste polylactic acid (PLA) accumulated from failed 3D printing operations and PLA biocomposite filaments containing nanocellulose fibres. FFF 3D printable filaments were produced via melt mixing and extrusion of virgin PLA containing varying amounts of waste PLA. The chemical, thermal and thermomechanical characterisation of each specimen was evaluated using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), simultaneous thermal analysis (SDT), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and uniaxial tensile analysis (UTA). A desktop FFF 3D printer was used to fabricate UTA and DMA test specimens. The thermal stability of the filament specimens containing waste derived from the failed 3D prints were comparable with that of the commercial filaments. However, a 11% decrease in the onset of thermal degradation is observed for the filament containing waste biocomposites. The specimens containing waste PLA exhibited higher crystallinity and storage modulus. UTA results revealed similar tensile strength and % elongation, except for the specimen containing 50% waste PLA which exhibited a 29% decrease in tensile strength. This work successfully demonstrates mechanical recycling as a viable waste management strategy for waste materials generated during FFF 3D printing.

3D-printing of biomass furan-based polyesters with robust mechanical performance and shape memory property

3D-printing provides a feasible technique for realizing new materials into structural and intelligent parts. In this work, biomass furan-based polyesters poly (ethylene furanoate) (PEF), poly (trimethylene furanoate) (PTF), and poly (butylene furanoate) (PBF) were successfully synthesized in a 5 L reactor through the melt polycondensation process and fabricated into 3D-printing feedstocks. It was demonstrated that the three furan-based polyesters were additively-manufactured into complicated structures. Besides, the mechanical and thermal properties of furan-based polyesters could be tailored by the chain length of diol monomer. The mechanical performance of 3D-printed PEF, PTF and PBF were characterized and compared with commercial filaments. The tensile strength of PEF and PTF could reach 74.6 and 63.8 MPa respectively, which exhibited superior tensile property to poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK), polyamide (PA) and polylactic acid (PLA). Meanwhile, the compression results demonstrated that the PEF and PTF possessed comparable energy absorption capacity with PEEK and PLA respectively, which indicated excellent mechanical properties of furan-based polyesters. It was interesting to find that the 3D-printed structures including solid cube, bionic flower and lattice structures were employed to prove that the PTF possessed excellent shape memory properties. Therefore, the proposed biomass furan-based polymers would offer more freedom in the field of 3D-printing.

Comparison of FDMed and compression molded biocomposites in polylactic acid and food flour waste

Polylactic acid resins are some of the most largely used bioplastics, some characteristics still limit their use, such as in mixing with other polymers or inclusion of additives. Currently, additive manufacturing technologies are enlarging their application sectors because they allow more rational use of raw materials, limiting both production waste and onerous post-processing stages. In this framework, polylactic acid resins, particularly favoured by their slow crystallization rate and the large availability, are some of the most used to obtain commercial filaments for fused deposition modeling. This research is then focused on the processability of the compounds, based on a commercial PLA resin, additivated with 1, 3, and 5 wt% of food flour wastes. The comparison of the performance of the products obtained with conventional and innovative technologies, respectively compression molding and FDM, is the key point of this study. Mechanical and morphological properties, obtained by the two technologies, were evaluated for neat and additivated resins. Preliminary results emphasize that, through compression molded, it was possible to obtain homogeneous components and the natural infilled used acts as reinforcement improving mechanical performances. For the additive technology, the samples obtained show a lower mechanical behavior due to the technological issues of 3d printing.

Circular economy-driven additive manufacturing: A model for recycling PLA/copper composites through multi-extrusion processing

ISO 52,900 material extrusion (MEX) 3D printing utilises materials to manufacture customisable components. End of life parts lead to accumulation of nondegradable plastic wastes with detrimental environmental impacts. Circular methods to close the loop will reduce the wastes that would end up in landfill. Recycling polylactic acid (PLA) has been reported to negatively impact the mechanical properties compared to the virgin material. We investigate the addition of copper microparticles, found in old electronic parts, to recycled PLA and its effects on the mechanical properties. We pelletise the extruded filament and use it as the feedstock for another further extrusion to simulate the recycling process. The first extrusion showed a good copper dispersion in the PLA matrix, the novelty of the second pass was to create a model to evaluate mechanical performance. Commercially available 60wt% copper filament was used as a benchmark. Tensile strength and modulus of extruded filament were found to be 48.8 MPa and 2.3 GPa for sample with quarter copper loading, respectively. All extruded filaments outperformed commercial filament in fracture toughness, with values of 1.06 MPa√m for quarter copper loading and 1.1 Mpa√m for half copper loading, with re-extrusion reducing fracture toughness by 34% and 9%, respectively.

Aging effects on the viscoelastic behaviour of products by fused deposition modelling (FDM) made from recycled and wood-filled polymer resins

In this work, we analyse the thermal aging effects on the thermo-mechanical properties of bio-based specimens realized using fused deposition modelling technology. For the investigations, three commercial filaments made of polylactide acid (PLA) were used. The first filament was a pure virgin PLA (B-PLA); the second one was made from recycled waste production, PLA (R-PLA), and the third one was wood-filled PLA (W-PLA). Such materials were extruded under pre-optimized conditions and thermally aged in an oven at 70 °C. The as-prepared specimens were subjected to dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The experimental results are presented in terms of storage modulus (E'), loss modulus (E"), tan delta, and absorption spectra at different aging periods (0, 50, 70, 130, 175 days). For B-PLA and R-PLA, the thermal aging results in a decrease in both storage and loss moduli and in an increase in the glass transition temperature (Tg). On the contrary, for the W-PLA the storage modulus increases with the aging time, while the Tg remains constant. The IR spectra support the hypothesis of a degradation mechanism involving hydrolysis and/or hydrogen atom transfer. Based on these observations, we conclude that heat treatments always lead, through polymer degradation and structural changes, to more stable structures. The presence of wood particles slows down the aging process and makes the final products more durable.

Processing of membranes and 3D scaffolds based on n-TiO2 colloidally dispersed on a thermoplastic matrix for photocatalytic pollutant removal

One of the most promising technologies for water treatment today is photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs). Manufacturing efficient membranes is still challenging as many factors are involved, like the porosity, specific surface area, nature and size of particles. In this work, a colloidal method to self-support commercial nanoparticles (n-TiO2) in a polymeric matrix of polylactic acid (PLA) is proposed allowing the fabrication of 2D and 3D structures with high inorganic content that can be adapted to the PMR configurations. Using a commercial filament of PLA loaded with up to 15 vol% of n-TiO2 as starting point, photocatalytic membranes have been manufactured by FFF. In addition, following a similar process, tapes with n-TiO2 particles up to 15 vol% have been processed by tape casting. Thermal characterisation (DTA) and dynamic rheometry evaluated the commercial filament for printing to determine the conditions used during the thermal extrusion and printing processes. FTIR and XRD technologies were used to determine the chemical interactions of PLA matrices with TiO2 nanoparticles. Porosity was measured by Archimedes's method for the filaments, by mercury intrusion for the membranes and by optical microscopy for the scaffolds. Finally, the microstructure of the 2D and 3D pieces was evaluated by scanning microscopy. 2D tape cast membranes were compared with individual filaments and 3D printed scaffolds in linear and gyroidal geometries. The catalytic activity results indicate that tape cast membranes show much higher kinetic constants than the individual filaments and the linear and gyroidal scaffolds. Regarding the two different printed scaffolds, in contrast to the kinetic values, gyroidal geometries achieve an average degradation time (t50) of 6.1 h, which is a lower value than those observed for linear scaffold geometries. Methyl orange degradation tests after 24 h exposure under UV light showed degradation rates of 98% for membranes, 90% for commercial filaments, 80% for gyroidal scaffolds and 60% for linear patterns. Therefore, these results are promising as a solution for fabricating easily extractable self-supported membranes for water treatment in PMRs.

Highly conductive and stretchable filament for flexible electronics

Conductive and stretchable filaments are crucial for advancing additive manufacturing, particularly in flexible electronics. However, existing conductive filaments suffer from limitations in conductivity and stretchability. To overcome these challenges, this study presents a highly conductive and stretchable filament for material extrusion type 3D printing. The developed filament achieves an initial electrical conductivity of 558 S/cm and maintains low resistance up to 60 % strain with 10 vol% silver loading. This significantly surpasses the performance of commercial filaments and previous literature reports. The addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a plasticizer for the silver filled thermoplastic polyurethane (Ag-TPU) composite enhances extrusion and improves filament surface quality. The printability of the filament in material extrusion 3D printing was evaluated, and the electrical conductivity of the printed objects was assessed. Two demonstrator structures, an electrical interconnection and a capacitive strain sensor, were successfully prototyped, showcasing the potential applications of this filament in stretchable electronics. The developed filament paves the way for creating intricate and stretchable electronic devices using material extrusion printing techniques. These advancements contribute to the field of additive manufacturing and enable the fabrication of flexible electronic components with enhanced conductivity and stretchability.

Development and characterization of pla biofilament combined with perifiton biomass for 3d printing

3D printing has conquered markets on an exponential scale. Allied to this, the global demand for environmentally sustainable materials drives research in the search for a substitute for petroleum-based thermoplastics. PLA is among the main raw materials for use in 3D printing filaments and has the advantage of being a bio-based and biodegradable biopolymer. This study aimed to develop a biofilament from a mixture of periphytic biomass and PLA and to evaluate its biodegradability potential when compared to commercial filaments. The biofilament was produced with 95% PLA and 5% periphytic biomass. Scanning Electron Microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy were applied to analyze the morphological structure of the biofilament. The biofilament presented mechanical performance similar to pure PLA, becoming slightly more rigid and brittle. In the biodegradability test, the sample produced with the biofilament showed a greater mass loss, with 63.75%, when compared to the PLA samples, indicating that the presence of microalgae contributed to the degradation of the material.

Material Extrusion of Wool Waste/Polycaprolactone with Improved Tensile Strength and Biodegradation.

Additive manufacturing (AM) through material extrusion (MEX) is becoming increasingly popular worldwide due to its simple, sustainable and safe technique of material preparation, with minimal waste generation. This user-friendly technique is currently extensively used in diverse industries and household applications. Recently, there has been increasing attention on polycaprolactone (PCL)-based composites in MEX due to their improved biodegradability. These composites can be printed at a lower temperature, making them more energy efficient compared to commercial filaments such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA). Although wool is the leading protein fibre in the world and can be more compatible with PCL due to its inherent hydrophobicity, the suitability of MEX using a wool/PCL combination has not been reported previously. In the current study, waste wool/PCL composite parts were printed using the MEX technique, and rheology, thermal and tensile properties, and morphology were analysed. The impact of wool loading (10% and 20%) was investigated in relation to different filling patterns (concentric, rectilinear and gyroid). Furthermore, the impact of fibre fineness on the final material produced through MEX was investigated for the first time using two types of wool fibres with diameters of 16 µm and 24 µm. The yield strength and modulus of PCL increased with the inclusion of 10% wool, although the elongation was reduced. The crystallinity of the composites was found to be reduced with wool inclusion, though the melting point of PCL remained mostly unchanged with 10% wool inclusion, indicating better compatibility. Good miscibility and uniform structure were observed with the inclusion of 10% wool, as evidenced by rheology and morphology analysis. The impact of fibre fineness was mostly minor, though wool/PCL composites showed improved thermal stability with finer diameter of wool fibres. The printed specimens exhibited an increasing rate of biodegradation in marine water, which was correlated to the amount of wool present. Overall, the results demonstrate the practical applicability of the wool/PCL composition in MEX for the preparation of varied objects, such as containers, toys and other household and industrial items. Using wool/PCL combinations as regular plastics would provide a significant environmental advantage over the non-degradable polymers that are currently used for these purposes.

Material Extrusion 3D Printing of PEEK-Based Composites.

High-performance thermoplastics like polyetheretherketone (PEEK), with their outstanding thermal stability, mechanical properties and chemical stability, have great potential for various structural applications. Combining with additive manufacturing methods extends further PEEK usage, e.g., as a mold insert material in polymer melt processing like injection molding. Mold inserts must possess a certain mechanical stability, a low surface roughness as well as a good thermal conductivity for the temperature control during the molding process. With this in mind, the commercially available high-performance thermoplastic PEEK was doped with small amounts of carbon nanotubes (CNT, 6 wt%) and copper particles (10 wt%) targeting enhanced thermomechanical properties and a higher thermal conductivity. The composites were realized by a commercial combined compounder and filament maker for the usage in a material extrusion (MEX)-based 3D-printer following the fused filament fabrication (FFF) principle. Commercial filaments made from PEEK and carbon fiber reinforced PEEK were used as reference systems. The impact of the filler and the MEX printing conditions like printing temperature, printing speed and infill orientation on the PEEK properties were characterized comprehensively by tensile testing, fracture imaging and surface roughness measurements. In addition, the thermal conductivity was determined by the laser-flash method in combination with differential scanning calorimetry and Archimedes density measurement. The addition of fillers did not alter the measured tensile strength in comparison to pure PEEK significantly. The fracture images showed a good printing quality without the MEX-typical voids between and within the deposited layers. Higher printing temperatures caused a reduction of the surface roughness and, in some cases, an enhanced ductile behavior. The thermal conductivity could be increased by the addition of the CNTs. Following the given results, the most critical process step is the compounding procedure, because for a reliable process-parameter-property relationship, a homogeneous particle distribution in the polymer matrix yielding a reliable filament quality is essential.

Material extrusion additive manufacturing of advanced ceramics: Towards the production of large components

Thermoplastic extrusion based additive manufacturing (MEX-AM), is a very interesting fabrication method for the shaping of larger ceramic parts. Commercial filaments are currently available in the market, but due to the lack of information from the suppliers, it is not easy to select the suitable filament material for the 3D printing of individual ceramic objects. In this study, three commercial yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) filaments provided by Fabru GmbH, SiCeram GmbH and PT+A GmbH were investigated. According to our results, it is possible to print YSZ filaments with extremely different flexibility and rheological properties. Compared to the other two filaments, the Fabru filament resulted in significantly higher flexibility, but the extrusion pressure to print it through a 0.25 mm nozzle was significantly higher at 150 °C. Interestingly, in the SiCeram filament, a grain orientation effect could be observed. Based on STA analysis it can be assumed that for the Fabru filament, the polymer which decomposes at a high temperature can already be removed by solvent debinding (SD). Finally, 70 mm tall cup structure including overhang features and different wall thicknesses was used to evaluate the printing and post-processing of YSZ filaments.