Comparing the mechanical properties of additively manufactured post-consumer polypropylene to injection molded specimens

Single-use plastic applications have resulted in a staggering amount of waste. The total waste was estimated at 80 million tons 2015, showing an increasing trend. A significant proportion the is polypropylene (PP). PP offers good mechanical and chemical properties can be manufactured molded cost- energy-efficient manner. This forcing society to develop sustainable recycling strategies. For this reason, commercially available feedstocks made from post-consumer are for manufacturing. These materials primarily designed injection molding or extrusion processes. Additive manufacturing, particular material extrusion-based additive manufacturing (ME-AM), has gained momentum over past decade already widely used not only prototyping but also series production. that typically challenging process by ME-AM due its high crystallinity, shrinkage, poor adhesion properties. Therefore, work investigates use applicability recyclates ME-AM. purpose, filaments were produced commercial grade recyclate tensile specimens printed with different printing parameters. compared those parts relative performance 64% 81% obtained. Although seems difficult ME-AM, optimized print setup suitable processing parameters, complex could produced.