Additive Manufacturing of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Produced From Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of producing recycled acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (r-ABS) filaments from waste electrical and electronic equipment (W EEE) casings, specifically discarded monitors and televisions, and to compare their properties with those of virgin ABS. Theoretical Framework: The research was based on a literature review of additive manufacturing, WEEE recycling, and the thermal, mechanical, rheological, and microscopic characterizations of recycled polymers, with an emphasis on fused deposition modeling (FDM). Method: WEEE casings were collected and mechanically recycled to produce r-ABS filaments. These filaments were characterized and compared with virgin ABS filaments using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analyses (TGA and DSC), rheological, mechanical, and microscopic evaluations. Results and Conclusion: The results indicated that r-ABS filaments exhibit properties comparable to those of virgin ABS. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of the main functional groups of ABS in the recycled samples. Thermal analysis showed similar behavior between the recycled and virgin materials, with a single thermal decomposition event. Rheological analysis demonstrated that r-ABS possesses viscoelastic properties suitable for the FDM process, and mechanical characterization showed that r-ABS exhibited tensile strength close to virgin ABS. Microscopic analysis revealed good layer adhesion and a low number of voids, factors that contribute to the quality of the printed objects. Research Implications: This study contributes to the valorization of polymeric waste, promoting the use of recycled materials in additive manufacturing processes, which can benefit both the environment and the 3D printing industry. Originality/Value: The research addresses a topic still underexplored in the literature, especially concerning the recycling of WEEE casings for the production of ABS filaments.