Recycled, Bio-Based, and Blended Composite Materials for 3D Printing Filament: Pros and Cons—A Review

In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM), known as “3D printing”, has experienced exceptional growth thanks to the development of mechatronics and materials science. Fused filament deposition (FDM) manufacturing is the most widely used technique in the field of AM, due to low operating and material costs. However, the materials commonly used for this technology are virgin thermoplastics. It is worth noting a considerable amount of waste exists due to failed print and disposable prototypes. In this regard, using green and sustainable materials is essential to limit the impact on the environment. The recycled, bio-based, and blended recycled materials are therefore a potential approach for 3D printing. In contrast, the lack of understanding of the mechanism of interlayer adhesion and the degradation of materials for FDM printing has posed a major challenge for these green materials. This paper provides an overview of the FDM technique and material requirements for 3D printing filaments. The main objective is to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of using recycled, bio-based, and blended materials based on thermoplastics for 3D printing filaments. In this work, solutions to improve the mechanical properties of 3D printing parts before, during, and after the printing process are pointed out. This paper provides an overview on choosing which materials and solutions depend on the specific application purposes. Moreover, research gaps and opportunities are mentioned in the discussion and conclusions sections of this study.

A novel chemical composition estimation model for cement raw material blending process

Raw material blending process is an essential part of the cement production process. The main purpose of the process is to guarantee a certain oxide composition for the raw meal at the outlet of the mill by regulating the four raw materials. But the chemical compositions of raw materials vary from time to time, resulting in difficulties to control the oxide compositions to a predefined value. Therefore, a novel algorithm to estimate the chemical compositions of the raw materials is developed. The paper mainly consists of two parts. In model construction part, a novel constrained least square model is proposed to overcome the deviation introduced by long-term drift of the material components, and the model parameters are estimated with an online strategy. And in validation part, the approach is implemented to two examples including datasets from simulation model and the actual industrial process. The final results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Investigation on Mechanical Properties of CMSLDS/Acrylate Copolymeric Blending Films for Warp Sizing

Carboxymethyl starch with lower degree of substitution was, blended with acrylate copolymer for revealing the relation between mechanical properties and chemical structure of blending film. Effects of carboxymethylation of starch, acrylate constituent units of acrylate copolymers, and copolymer content of the film on the properties were investigated. The mechanical properties were evaluated in terms of tensile strength, breaking elongation, abrasion resistance, and flex-fatigue resistance. Film morphology was examined with X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and atomic force microscope （AFM）. It was found that the properties depended on the degree of substitution of carboxymethyl starch, chemical structure of acrylate units, and content of acrylate copolymer. Phase-separation of the two ingredients occurred within film matrix and the separation was decreased after starch carboxymethylation. Breaking elongation and flex-fatigue resistance of the film reached maximmns when acrylate copolymer content was 50%. Excessively increasing the content of acrylate copolymer reduced the film properties.

Hydrometallurgical recovery of lithium carbonate and iron phosphate from blended cathode materials of spent lithium-ion battery

The recycling of cathode materials from spent lithium-ion battery has attracted extensive attention,but few research have focused on spent blended cathode materials.In reality,the blended materials of lithium iron phosphate and ternary are widely used in electric vehicles,so it is critical to design an effective recycling technique.In this study,an efficient method for recovering Li and Fe from the blended cathode materials of spent LiFePO_(4)and LiNi_(x)Co_(y)Mn_(1-x-y)O_(2)batteries is proposed.First,87%A1 was removed by alkali leaching.Then,91.65%Li,72.08%Ni,64.6%Co and 71.66%Mn were further separated by selective leaching with H_(2)SO_(4)and H_(2)O_(2).Li,Ni,Co and Mn in solution were recovered in the form of Li_(2)CO_(3)and hydroxide respectively.Subsequently,98.38%Fe was leached from the residue by two stage process,and it is recovered as FePO_(4)·2H_(2)O with a purity of 99.5%by precipitation.Fe and P were present in FePO_(4)·2H_(2)O in amounts of 28.34%and 15.98%,respectively.Additionally,the drift and control of various components were discussed,and cost-benefit analysis was used to assess the feasibility of potential application.

Study on PVA Membranes Blended with Acrylic Ester-Acrylic Acid Copolymer for Dehydration of Ethanol

The viability of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) membranes blended with acrylic ester-co-acrylic acid copolymers (AE-co-AA), for ethanol dehydration was examined. The effects of the operating temperature on the permeate flux and separation factor of the membranes were investigated. The pervaporation separation characteristics of PVA/(AE-co-AA) membranes were related to the blend ratio, the dose of crosslinking agents and the operating temperature.

PREPARATION OF HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE/POLYETHYLENE-BLOCK-POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL)COPOLYMER BLEND POROUS MEMBRANES VIA THERMALLY INDUCED PHASE SEPARATION PROCESS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

High density polyethylene （HDPE）/polyethylene-block-poly（ethylene glycol） （PE-b-PEG） blend porous membranes were prepared via thermally induced phase separation （TIPS） process using diphenyl ether （DPE） as diluent. The phase diagrams of HDPE/PE-b-PEG/DPE systems were determined by optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）. By varying the content of PE-b-PEG, the effects of PE-b-PEG copolymer on morphology and crystalline structure of membranes were studied by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and wide angle X-ray diffraction （WAXD）. The chemical compositions of whole membranes and surface layers were characterized by elementary analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflection （FTIR-ATR） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）. Water contact angle, static protein adsorption and water flux experiments were used to evaluate the hydrophilicity, antifouling and water permeation properties of the membranes. It was found that the addition of PE-b-PEG increased the pore size of the obtained blend membranes. In the investigated range of PE-b-PEG content, the PEG blocks could not aggregate into obviously separated domains in membrane matrix. More importantly, PE-b-PEG could not only be retained stably in the membrane matrix during membrane formation, but also enrich at the membrane surface layer. Such stability and surface enrichment of PE-b-PEG endowed the blend membranes with improved hydrophilicity, protein absorption resistance and water permeation properties, which would be substantially beneficial to HDPE membranes for water treatment application.

Study on Copolymerization of Rare Earth-Carboxylic Acid Complex

Complex of rare earth with carboxylic acid was prepared by precipitation and direct method. It was copolymerized with such monomers as acrylic acid and other ones to synthesize ionomer of rare earth and organic polymer with different rare earth contents. Its glass-transition temperature and heat stability were analyzed by TG and DTA. Infra-red detector was used to show its structure. The effect of rare earth complex prepared by different methods on copolymerization and properties of copolymers was also discussed.

Effects of Blending Routes on the Morphology and Properties of PA-6/Nano-CaCO_3/MA-POE Ternary Composites

The effect of blending routes on the morphology and properties of Polyamide-6 (PA-6)/nano-CaCO3/Maleated ethylene-octane copolymer (MA-POE) ternary composite was analyzed using static mechanical test (DMA), TEM (transmission electronic microscope) and SEM (scanning electron microscope). It was found that MA-POE, as an impact modifier, had a profound effect upon the toughness of the PA-6/nano-CaCO3 composite. In particular, by adopting two-stage blending route, the microstructure of the ternary composites turned to core-shell structure, and the impact toughness was improved greatly. At the same time, tensile strength and dynamic storage modulus (E1) were higher than those with one-stage blending route processed ternary composite. The results suggest that blending routes may improve the properties of PA-6/nano-CaCO3/MA-POE ternary composites.

Effect of Poly(ε-caprolactone-b-tetrahydrofuran)Triblock Copolymer Concentration on Morphological,Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Immiscible PLA/PCL Blends

In this study a low molecular weight triblock copolymer derived fromε-caprolactone and tetrahydrofuran was used as a non-reactive compatibilizer of immiscible PLA/PCL blends.Ternary blends with 0,1.5 wt%,3 wt%and 5 wt% copolymer and about 75 wt%PLA were prepared by single screw extrusion and characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),dynamic mechanical analysis(DMA),tensile and Izod impact testing.SEM micrographs showed that the size of the dispersed PCL domains was practically constant regardless of copolymer concentration.This result can be explained by the low shear rate employed during processing step and a decrease of PCL viscosity by presence of the triblock copolymer.However,when the copolymer concentration increased,strain at break of PLA/PCL blends also increased.PLA/PCL blend with 0 wt% copolymer presented 2%strain at break,whereas PLA/PCL blend with 5 wt%copolymer exhibited 90%.

A Review: On Smart Materials Based on Some Polysaccharides;within the Contextual Bigger Data, Insiders, “Improvisation” and Said Artificial Intelligence Trends

Smart Materials are along with Innovation attributes and Artificial Intelligence among the most used “buzz” words in all media. Central to their practical occurrence, many talents are to be gathered within new contextual data influxes. Has this, in the last 20 years, changed some of the essential fundamental dimensions and the required skills of the actors such as providers, users, insiders, etc.? This is a preliminary focus and prelude of this review. As an example, polysaccharide materials are the most abundant macromolecules present as an integral part of the natural system of our planet. They are renewable, biodegradable, carbon neutral with low environmental, health and safety risks and serve as structural materials in the cell walls of plants. Most of them are used, for many years, as engineering materials in many important industrial processes, such as pulp and papermaking and manufacture of synthetic textile fibres. They are also used in other domains such as conversion into biofuels and, more recently, in the design of processes using polysaccharide nanoparticles. The main properties of polysaccharides (e.g. low density, thermal stability, chemical resistance, high mechanical strength…), together with their biocompatibility, biodegradability, functionality, durability and uniformity, allow their use for manufacturing smart materials such as blends and composites, electroactive polymers and hydrogels which can be obtained 1) through direct utilization and/or 2) after chemical or physical modifications of the polysaccharides. This paper reviews recent works developed on polysaccharides, mainly on cellulose, hemicelluloses, chitin, chitosans, alginates, and their by-products (blends and composites), with the objectives of manufacturing smart materials. It is worth noting that, today, the fundamental understanding of the molecular level interactions that confer smartness to polysaccharides remains poor and one can predict that new experimental and theoretical tools will emerge to develop the necessary understanding of the structure-property-function relationships that will enable polysaccharide-smartness to be better understood and controlled, giving rise to the development of new and innovative applications such as nanotechnology, foods, cosmetics and medicine (e.g. controlled drug release and regenerative medicine) and so, opening up major commercial markets in the context of green chemistry.

Fabrication of Microspheres Based on Poly(4-butyltriphenylamine) Blends with Poly(methyl methacrylate) and Block Copolymer by Solvent Evaporation Method

Micron-sized polymer particles from single poly(4-butyltriphenylamine) (PBTPA) homopolymer, binary polymer blend [PBTPA/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)], and ternary polymer blend (PBTPA/PBTPA-b-PMMA/PMMA) via a solvent evaporation method, and the surface morphologies and inside structure of resulting particles were investigated. Spherical homopolymer particles with smooth surface were resulted from PBTPA with low molecular weight. In the case of binary blends (PBTPA/PMMA = 1/1), Janus (low molecular weight) and dumbbell (high molecular weight) type morphologies were observed. The particles based on ternary blends containing PBTPA-b-PMMA showed core-shell type morphologies (PMMA;core, PBTPA;shell). Degree of engulfment of PMMArich domain increased with the content of the block copolymer. The decrease of domain size was not observed although the block copolymer had a suitable structure as a compatibilizer for the blend. It was also found that the initial concentration of polymer solution had an effect on the final morphology.

CRYSTALLIZATION OF BLENDS OF AN ASYMMETRIC POLY(OXYETHYLENE)-b-POLY(OXYBUTYLENE) BLOCK COPOLYMER WITH POLY(OXYBUTYLENE)

An oxyethylene/oxybutylene block copolymer with asymmetric volume fraction (E115B105) was blended with oxybutylene homopolymer (Bh) at different volume fractions of the block Crystallization behavior of the blends was studied and was compared with that of the blends from a symmetric block copolymer (E114B56). It was found that the crystallization temperature of E115B103/B28 blend is lower than that of the blends from symmetric block copolymer. For the blend with = 0.30 breakout crystallization with an Avrami exponent n 3.0 is observed. At = 0.22 the blend exhibits a variable crystallization behavior: confined crystallization with n 1.0 at lower crystallization temperatures but breakout crystallization at high crystallization temperatures. For the blend with = 0.14 and sphere morphology confined crystallization occurs at all crystallization temperatures studied. When compared with the blends from symmetric block copolymer, confined crystallization occurs more easily in the E115B103/B28 blends. The SAXS results agree with the isothermal crystallization kinetics. Deformation of the confined crystalline block is observed in the blend with =0.14 and mixed lamellar and cylinder morphologies in the blend with = 0.22.

STUDY ON THE MODIFICATION OF POLY (METHYL METHACRYLATE) TRANSPARENT MATERIAL

A kind of transparent plastic material has been prepared with bulk copolymer of MMA-MA containing MA 20 vol% as matrix modified by introducing EtOH during bulk copolymerization to increase the transparency and by copolymerizing together with metallic salts of MA forming ionomer polymer to improve the heat-tolerance and hardness. The effect of the contents of the additives on the heat stability, hardness and transparency of the copolymer has been studied. The optical homogeneity of the copolymer material has also been examined. It has been found that the specific property of transparent material of this kind may be obtained by controlling the amounts of EtOH and metallic salt of MA.

SYNTHESIS OF AN AMPHIPHILIC PPESK-g-P(PEGMA)GRAFT COPOLYMER VIA ATRP AND ITS USE IN BLEND MODIFICATION OF PPESK MEMBRANES

Preparation of an amphiphilic graft copolymer having poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone)(PPESK) as main chains was carried out by atom transfer radical polymerization(ATRP).The precursor,chloromethylated PPESK (CMPPESK),was prepared by using chioromethylether as chloromethylation agent.Then,poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate(PEGMA) was used as monomer to synthesize PPESK-g-P(PEGMA) by ATRP method under the catalysis of a cuprous chloride/2,2'-bipyridyl system.PPESK/PPESK-g-P(PEGMA) blend m...

Influences of Reactive Compatibilizer R-Styrene-Maleic Anhydride Copolymer on PA6/PP Blends

The effect of R-styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer （R- SMA） compatibilzation on Nylon 6 （ PA6 ）/polypropylene （ PP ） blends has been investigated experimentally through Molan test, microscopic morphology, and chemical structure. Results show that the moderate R-SMA addition can promote reaction between anhydride in R-SMA and amino in PA6, and lead to a new PA6-g- R-SMA copolymer in the blends. Such PA6-g-R-SMA eopolymer in the blends can effectively reduce the interfaeial tension and PP particle size, and improve the compatibility of two immiscible phases in the blends. The crystallinity of PA6 in PA6/PP blends has greatly decreased by PP blends. The blends have the best comprehensive mechanical and thermal properties when the mass ratio of PA6/PP/ R-SMA is 90：10：2 to 90：10：4. The impact strength of the PA6/PP blends with the eompatibilizer is increased by more than 150 %.

Influence of Constituent Materials Properties on the Compressive Strength of in Situ Concrete in Kenya

The poor quality of Kenyan in situ concrete has necessitated research to establish the properties of the ingredient materials and their influence on the troubling rate of failure of reinforced concrete structures in the country during construction and usage. The compressive strength of concrete relies on the properties of the constituent materials, proportions of the mixture, workmanship, compaction method and curing conditions. This paper outlines findings of an experimental investigation on the properties of Kenyan concrete ingredient materials and their influence on the compressive strength of concrete in Kenya. Three types of cements (42.5N, 32.5R, 32.5N) from six different cement manufacturers and fine aggregates from three different regions in the country were used during the study. Cements and aggregates chemical analysis was done using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometer machine while the physical and the mechanical properties were checked based on the British Standards. The British DOE concrete mix design method was used to generate the concrete mix proportion and concrete was tested for early and ultimate compressive strengths at 7, 14 and 28 days. It was observed that the different cement brands have varying properties with CEM A having the highest ultimate compressive and flexural strengths. It was further noted that aggregates from the coastal region produced concrete of higher compressive strengths. When the commonly used mix design method was adopted, blended Portland cements produced concrete with ultimate compressive strengths lower than the designed target strengths. The study therefore recommends the development of a concrete mix design procedure for blended cement concrete production in Kenya.

Polyfluorene-Polytriarylamine Block Copolymer as an Additive for Electroluminescent Devices Based on Polymer Blends

Electroluminescent characteristics were investigated for the blue emitting devices fabricated with the blend systems consisting of hole transporting polytriarylamine (PTAA), electron transporting polyfluorene (PF), and a block copolymer with both segments (PF-b-PTAA) as an active layer in order to elucidate the relationship between the chemical nature and morphology of the active layer, and EL performance. The addition of PF-b-PTAA to PF homopolymer afforded the hole injecting and/or electron blocking ability to increase the efficiency. The addition to PF/PTAA blend keeping the chemical composition constant also improved the performance by controlling the morphology and/or the domain size in phase-separated films.

The Stabilizing Role of Material Structure in Scientific Practice

Knowledge of the environment is essential for the survival of organisms; but those organisms have to have the capacity to stabilize such knowledge. The aim of this article is to analyze the various strategies for stabilizing human knowledge, with a special focus on its material anchors and their interactions with other stabilization means. In particular, I consider how such stabilization is reflected in scientific activity and practice, and what its repercussions are for the models of science that have dominated the philosophical landscape of the 20th century. My starting hypothesis will be that the role of material anchors in stabilizing conceptual blends is analogous to that of technology in grounding scientific knowledge. The framework I adopt with regard to conceptualization is that of Fauconnier and Turner （2002） on conceptual blends. Just as technology intervenes in scientific practice in conjunction with conceptual elements, so do material anchors, which conjoin other non-material strategies of knowledge stabilization. Endowing knowledge with a material basis may be understood firstly as an element （sometimes a key element） for representing knowledge and offering an explanation, and secondly as a way of providing a scientific hypothesis with empirical grounding. It is this second sense that connects with scientific experimentation and the use of instruments and technology.

MONTE CARLO SIMULATION OF TRIBLOCK COPOLYMER/HOMOPOLYMER BLEND FILMS

The morphologies of triblock copolymer/homopolymer blend films, ABA/A and ABAIB, confined between two neutral hard walls were studied via Monte Carlo （MC） simulation on a simple .cubic lattice. The effects of φh （the volume fraction of homopolymer） and Md/Mb （the molecular weight of homopolymer in relation to that of the corresponding blocks in the copolymer） on the morphologies were investigated in detail.