Mechanical Properties of Recycled 3D Print Filament

Filament used in 3D printers can vary by size, color, and material. Most commonly thermoplastics are used for rapid prototyping by industry. Recycled filament has the potential to reduce cost and provide a more sustainable and energy efficient approach to 3D printing. This can be a viable option if recycled parts show comparable mechanical characteristics to non-recycled material. This report focuses on the development of a methodology to efficiently characterize recycled filament for application in industry. A crush sample in the shape of a hollow cube and a dog-bone shaped specimen will be created using a filament extruder and 3D printer. The crush sample will be broken and extruded to produce a recycled filament. The crush sample will undergo a varying number of recycles (i.e. breakings) per sample group to simulate mechanical degradation; 0, 1, 2, and 5 recycling loops. The samples will undergo micro mechanical (microscopy analysis) and macro mechanical (tensile) characterization.