Development and 3D printing of PLA bio-composites reinforced with short yucca fibers and enhanced thermal and dynamic mechanical performance

Growing environmental pollution and resource limitations have led to intensified research into sustainable materials. This study introduces an innovative 3D printable bio-composite material crafted by reinforcing a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix with short yucca fibres. Fibers from Yucca treculeana leaves were extracted via water retting (WR) and traditional mechanical processing (T). They were then incorporated as powder into PLA to create filaments for 3D printing via fused deposition modeling. A comprehensive set of thermo-mechanical characterization was performed through tensile, compression, flexural, dynamic mechanical analyses, thermal stability, FTIR, SEM, thermogravimetric, fatigue, and water absorption tests. PLA-T category exhibited a 22 % increase in tensile strength (61 MPa) and a 20 % enhancement in compressive strength (89 MPa) over PLA-WR. Similarly, PLA-T achieved a 12 % higher flexural strength (56 MPa) and an extended fatigue life, surpassing PLA-WR by 66 % (40,185 cycles). These findings underscore the critical influence of fiber extraction processes on bio-composite performance and propose PLA-yucca composites as an excellent addition to the sustainable 3D printing material library. With potential applications across automotive, aerospace, and consumer products, this material represents a viable alternative to conventional plastics, advancing the goals of sustainable manufacturing and eco-friendly innovation.