Naturally Derived Materials Fit for 3D Printing

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December 21, 2022

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by Stephanie Seay (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Researchers found that moderate levels of ash — sometimes found as spheres in biomass — do not significantly affect the mechanical properties of biocomposites made up of corn stover, switchgrass and PLA thermoplastic. — The presence of minerals called ash in plants makes little difference to the fitness of new naturally derived compound materials designed for additive manufacturing, an Oak Ridge National Laboratory-led team found.

When mixed with polylactic acid, fibers sourced from corn stover and switchgrass yielded biocomposites with satisfactory properties for 3D printing. In fact, the presence of ash spheres appeared to improve the flow of material for extrusion printing, said ORNL’s Xianhui Zhao.

“We went as high as 12% ash content on our corn stover biocomposite and found mechanical properties like stress and strain tolerance and tensile strength to be acceptable,” Zhao said.

The research enables a use for high-ash biomass residue from biorefining that could lower the overall cost of producing sustainable fuels and materials.

Next steps include exploring more biomass materials and testing the composites in a large-volume printer at ORNL. READ MORE

Impact of biomass ash content on biocomposite properties (Composites Part C: Open Access)

Biocomposites Fit to Print: ORNL Measures the Mettle of Corn Stover, Switchgrass Materials (U.S. Department of Energy)

Excerpt from U.S. Department of Energy: A team led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) found that the presence of minerals, known as ash, in plants makes little difference to the fitness of new additive manufacturing biocomposites. While differences in biomass ash content levels can affect biomass processing, ORNL’s new research shows that using biomass ash left over from the handling and processing of corn stover and switchgrass feedstocks could lower the overall cost of producing sustainable fuels and materials.

Switchgrass and corn stover are a significant biomass resource in the U.S, so maximizing their efficiency as feedstocks improves the strength and sustainability of the biomass supply chain. In this study, fibers from corn stover and switchgrass mixed with polylactic acid (PLA) resulted in biocomposites with satisfactory properties for 3D printing. Furthermore, stress and strain tolerance and tensile strength were acceptable in corn stover composites with as much as 12% ash content.

The team, which includes scientists from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Northwestern University, will next explore additional biomass materials and test composites in a large-volume printer at ORNL. READ MORE

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