Enhancement of sustainable fused deposition modeling 3D-printing with agave Americana fiber-reinforced poly(lactic) acid biofilaments

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) of eco-friendly biocomposites has been growing recently to obtain green fillers capable of reducing bioplastic costs without compromising the material processability and performance. This paper aims to study the effect of using different Agave America fiber volume ratios on the morphological, chemical, and thermal properties, contact angle, and hardness of poly(lactic) acid (PLA) filament for 3D printing. Sustainable biofilaments of PLA filled with 10 and 5 wt% of Agave Americana fiber were prepared in a thermokinetic mixer and extruded in a machine, and then used to print testing samples using fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer. Biofilaments were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The addition of fiber did not significantly influence the biofilament's diameter and density compared to pure PLA. On the other hand, it influenced printed biofilaments' thermal stability and morphological characteristics. The biocomposites developed have shown enhancement in their shore hardness. Thus, the use of Agave Americana fiber reinforced in a PLA matrix did not compromise its thermal properties, nor its processability and printability, which could open the possibility of future research with a biocomposite with higher fiber content and an environmentally friendly alternative over traditional filler materials.