Enhancing 3D printing with composite filaments incorporating electronic waste: a study on flexural and compression strength

Abstract Fused deposition modeling (FDM) has emerged as the preferred method for creating three-dimensional (3D) models with minimal waste. To enhance the mechanical strength of the 3D-printed models using FDM, researchers have explored composite filaments. This study aims to advance electronic waste (EW) recycling for effective waste management by fabricating a composite filament by incorporating EW as a filler particle for FDM application. The composite filament merges polylactic acid with printed circuit board (PCB) particles sourced from EW. Physical properties like flexural and compression strength were evaluated. The samples were printed following ASTM D790 and ASTM D695 standards, using default parameters such as a 100 % infill rate, rectilinear pattern, and a layer thickness of 0.2 mm. The optimal printing temperature of 200 °C for the samples was determined through flowability testing. Subsequently, the dimensional stability and surface roughness of the printed samples were assessed, demonstrating that the inclusion of filler particles enhanced dimensional stability and decreased surface roughness. The results of this study show that a composite filament containing 3 wt% EW-PCB exhibits enhanced flexural strength and a notable increase in flexural modulus. Similarly, the filament containing 3 wt% EW-PCB exhibited a 35 % increase in bulk modulus compared to the filament without EW, attributed to the presence of metals in the PCBs. The micromorphological analysis was performed on the tested samples using field emission scanning electron microscopy.