Biopolymer Alternatives in Pellet Form for 3D Printing by Extrusion

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is based on extrusion printing and is one of the most widely used addive manufacturing techniques. Though capable of challenging its traditional counterpart, injection molding in specific cases, the current application of FDM is limited due to fewer material options and the need to have the raw material in the filament form often. Considering the significant role that the process is projected to play in widely varying fields of applications, the current research considers to evaluate certain biopolymer alternatives in pellet forms for extrusion three-dimensional (3D) printing. A variety of material alternatives are evaluated and three specific systems, ECOVIO F C2311, several grades of INGEO, and the wood-polymer composite NN41, were identified to be the most promising candidates in the forms tested for extrusion 3D printing with varying degrees of commercial viabilities.