Improving the sustainability of polymer Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)

This PhD will investigate and optimise methods of material recovery, separation and re-use for powdered-polymer 3D Printing materials. The student will specifically focus on the recovery and reuse of 'filled' polymer materials. These materials rely on the inclusion of a separate material into a 'standard' base polymer in order to influence the properties of the parts produced, either through mechanical mixing or through blending into the polymer itself. Examples include the incorporation of fillers to increase stiffness, to provide high levels of flame retardancy or to produce parts with anti-bacterial functionality, in turn leading to greater complexity in recycling and/or re-using both unused materials from within the manufacturing process, and the resultant parts produced.