Circular Economy Advancements in Additive Manufacturing and Polymer Waste Recycling: Reshaping Sustainability

Abstract

Additive manufacturing is an exponentially growing sector that utilizes a lesser number of materials to create numerous products with the aid of Computer-Aided Design (CAD). Over the years, the adoption rate of polymer filaments in 3D printing has radically increased due to their user-friendliness and molecular properties. However, there are still different ways in which waste can be generated from 3D printing. This paper explores different aspects of ongoing studies to discuss efficacious solutions for closed-loop recycling systems in Distributed Recycling and Additive Manufacturing (DRAM). Concurrently, it probes for different additives that can reinforce the molecular structure of polymers, promoting repeated recycling. On the contrary, the existing papers have only explored the basic phases of the DRAM process. The implementation of closed-loop recycling can revolutionize the manufacturing sector by reducing overall Bourne costs and labor. Moreover, the proposal of compatibility of the DRAM process with different printing technologies, along with the effective implementation of additives, can provide integral benefits. Furthermore, the comparison of pure filaments and recycled filaments used for AM has helped us analyze the economic feasibility and energy recycling elements deployed for polymer wastes. Hence, the contemplation of the pyrolysis process has pontificated the necessity of various catalysts to increase the gasoline and diesel percentage in polymer waste recycling.