Date of Award

January 2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Chemical Engineering

First Advisor

Surojit Gupta

Abstract

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of novel bioplastic composites by using novel additive manufacturing (AM) approaches. As a background, global plastic consumption has become a problem with the accumulation of plastics in landfills and the ocean. Recently, bioplastics have emerged as a viable option to petrochemicals. Currently, there are some issues like biodegradability, property optimization with bioplastics etc. In thesis, novel methods and engineering of composition of bioplastics are being reported. In Chapter II, the addition of lignin to the PLA polymer matrix by using solvent mixing will be reported. During this study, liquid ink mixture was successfully printed by using modified “drop on demand” material extrusion approach. Uniaxial tensile tests showed that 3D printed lignin-PLA composites have similar tensile strength as solvent cast samples. In Chapter III, the MAX/MAB phases were mixed with PLA matrix by using dry ball milling. The mixed compositions were then melt processing into filaments by using extruders. The filaments of composites of MAX/MAB phase with PLA were then printed by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). Detailed microstructure and characterization of 3D printed compositions will be reported. In this thesis, Ti3SiC2, Ti3AlC2, Cr2AlC, and MoAlB were studied.

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