Additive Manufacturing with Polymer Composites for Sustainable Applications

The evolving field of digital manufacturing includes additive manufacturing (AM) that builds computationally sliced parts layer-by-layer. AM popularity continues to grow partially due to its potential to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. This thesis aims to help mitigate waste products using four novel polymer composites designed and developed for use with either fused filament fabrication (FFF) or direct writing (DW). These polymer composites are: 1) Simulation verified and AM printed triply periodic minimal surface lattice structures embedded with heat storage materials. Diamond TPMS geometry bentonite/CaCl2 embedded prints of low packed configuration adsorb <19.1% total dry cylinder weight and reaches 38.3 °C bulk temperature when stacked in an open reactor. 2) Microporous zeolite composites for carbon capture strengthened using novel sacrificial polymer content. Zeolite 13X composite UCS increases from 4.92 (±1.22) to 7.75 (±0.75) MPa with the addition of 4 wt% CSR providing a composite BET surface area of 148 (±17)cm3/g. 3) Printer filaments made from rPP hospital blue wrap previously destined for landfill or incineration. MFI is reduced from 103 (±8) to 45 (±2)g/10mins when increasing SEBS content from 9.1 wt% to 20 wt%. The reduced MFI facilitates filament extrusion and subsequent printing of tensile and impact samples with tensile strength and impact energy absorption up to 22.5 (±1.2) MPa and 14 (±0.8) kJ/m2, respectively. 4) Epoxy matrix composites for;i) weight saving applications and ii) bone-like composite manufacture to improve surgical training and patient communication. Drilled compression strength of bone-like epoxy matrix composites encompassed those of drilled bone compression strength, ranging between a 5 wt% gypsum and 20 wt%hydroxyapatite composite of 2.7 (±0.3) MPa to a 1 wt% PE, 40 wt% GY and 5wt% HA composite of 6.5 (±0.5) MPa. This thesis contributes a furthered understanding of low-cost desktop AM as utilised for local acquisition of custom engineering products that necessitates minimal lead times and transportation