3D Printing of Sustainable Poly (Lactic Acid) (PLA)/ Bio Poly (Butylene Succinate) (BioPBS) Polymeric Blends via Fused Deposition Modelling

Abstract

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is a popular additive manufacturing (AM) technique for 3D printing thermoplastics. The biomedical industry has benefited from 3D printing technology because of the ability to fabricate complex objects and customized medical parts. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is an excellent 3D printable bioplastic that is biocompatible and biodegradable. However, its brittleness hinders its wider use in biomedical applications. A potential solution to enhance PLA toughness, without compromising its biodegradability and biocompatibility, is polymer blending with tough polymers such as poly (butylene succinate) (PBS). The objective of this research was producing 3D printable material with improved mechanical performance. The fabricated PLA/BioPBS (90/10) blend achieved higher tensile and impact strengths than neat PLA. It was found that the alternating layers of the 3D samples enhanced the impact strength in comparison to injection molded sample. However, voids formation during 3D printing can negatively affect the tensile and flexural strengths.