Investigating the recycled acrylonitrile butadiene Styrene melamine formaldehyde composite matrix for printing applications

Abstract

In today s competitive world, polymer waste generation is one of the challenging issues and waste management is the fast growing field for research. This dissertation work is focused on development of composite by blending a thermoplastic polymer Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and thermosetting polymer Melamine formaldehyde (MF) aiming to manage the thermosetting waste which cannot be recycled and reused because of its cross linked structure. This study investigates the suitability of ABS reinforced with 12.5% MF as a feedstock material for fused deposition modeling (FDM)-based 3D printing. The rheological, porosity, and morphological analyses suggest that this composite offers an optimal matrix proportion, achieving a melt flow index (MFI) of 10.648 g/10 min, which is suitable for commercial 3D printing of thin and moderate sections. The inclusion of MF in ABS enhances tensile strength while maintaining moderate ductility, making it a viable alternative to virgin ABS. Additionally, MF reinforcement significantly improves wear resistance against abrasive materials and improves the morphology by decreasing porosity of the filament. newline