3D-Printing of Sustainable Polymer-Matrix-Composites

The use of biopolymers instead of fossil-based plastics can lead to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. However, this requires a thermomechanical property tailoring and comprehensive material characterization to enable applications in the macro and micro world. As part of this work, commercial polymer filaments were investigated with regard to their suitability for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing and the influence of bio-based fillers such as cork or wood fibres. For example, the addition of cork to PLA (polylactide) leads to a significant change in mechanical behaviour from brittle to ductile. Finally, an outlook on micro injection molding of biopolymers is provided.