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Polymers
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Sustainable and Circular Polymer Composites for Additive Manufacturing
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Sustainable and Circular Polymer Composites for Additive Manufacturing

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Circular and Green Sustainable Polymer Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 2355

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ramona Fayazfar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, Ontario Tech University, ON L1G 0C5, Canada
Interests: additive manufacturing; 3D printing; circular materials; sustainability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growing demand for sustainable materials and manufacturing solutions has driven the development of eco-friendly polymer composites for additive manufacturing. This Special Issue, entitled “Sustainable and Circular Polymer Composites for Additive Manufacturing”, aims to highlight innovative research on biodegradable, recyclable, and circular polymer blends enhanced with fillers and additives to improve mechanical, thermal, and processing properties.

At the Eco-Friendly Circular Advanced Materials and Additive Manufacturing (E-CAM) lab, we focus on developing novel material formulations by incorporating bio-based and recycled polymers with functional fillers to create high-performance, low-carbon, and sustainable 3D-printable composites. Our research explores the integration of waste, biomass, nanomaterials, and proprietary eco-friendly additives to enhance printability and end-use properties. The goal is to advance circular economy principles in additive manufacturing by transforming waste into value-added products across industries, including packaging, construction, and biomedical applications.

This Special Issue invites original research and review articles covering material development; material and process optimization; rheological, thermal, and mechanical characterization; and the broader implications of sustainable polymer composites in additive manufacturing.

Dr. Ramona Fayazfar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable polymer composites
  • circular economy
  • recycled plastics
  • additive manufacturing
  • 3D-printing
  • mechanical properties
  • waste valorization
  • advanced materials

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

6359 KB  
Article
A Low-Viscosity, Recyclable Polymer-Based Binder Strategy for Metal FDM: Toward High Powder Loading, Sustainable Processing, and Comprehensive Characterization of 17-4PH Stainless Steel Parts
by Sheyda Khazaee, Elie Bitar-Nehme, Rachid Boukhili, Jovan Kostenov, William Regnaud and Etienne Martin
Polymers 2025, 17(19), 2575; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17192575 (registering DOI) - 24 Sep 2025
Abstract
In metal fused deposition modeling (FDM), performance is governed by feedstock formulation, most critically the metal solid loading, while binder selection is constrained by environmental impacts and limited recyclability. This study investigates the development and performance of highly filled 17-4PH stainless steel (17-4PH) [...] Read more.
In metal fused deposition modeling (FDM), performance is governed by feedstock formulation, most critically the metal solid loading, while binder selection is constrained by environmental impacts and limited recyclability. This study investigates the development and performance of highly filled 17-4PH stainless steel (17-4PH) feedstocks formulated with a low-molecular-weight polymer binder system, specifically designed for FDM in metal additive manufacturing (AM). The binder system, composed of low-cost, recyclable paraffin wax and stearic acid, was used to prepare feedstocks containing 93.0–96.0 wt.% metal powder. Rheological analysis indicated that intermediate powder loadings (95.0–95.5 wt.%) yielded optimal shear-thinning behavior, essential for stable extrusion during printing. Printing trials identified 95.5 wt.% as the critical powder loading, delivering superior print fidelity and structural integrity relative to both under-filled (93.0–94.5 wt.%) and overfilled formulations. Green part characterization revealed increased density and flexural modulus with rising powder content, while thermal debinding and sintering trials indicated enhanced thermal stability and dimensional retention at higher loadings. The as-sintered specimens from the 95.5 wt.% feedstock achieved a relative density (RD) of 96.5% and significantly improved mechanical performance, including an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 758 MPa and 5.2% elongation, clearly outperforming the 95.0 wt.% variant. Tribocorrosion testing further validated these improvements, with the higher-density samples showing a lower coefficient of friction and a reduced wear coefficient of 2.1 × 10−5 mm3·(N·m)−1 in 3.5% NaCl solution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Circular Polymer Composites for Additive Manufacturing)
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11 pages, 1209 KB  
Communication
Upcycling Leather Waste Through Zero-Waste Hydrolysis for Versatile 3D Printable Composites
by Giovanni Venturelli, Luca Guida and Marinella Levi
Polymers 2025, 17(17), 2366; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17172366 - 30 Aug 2025
Viewed by 793
Abstract
The leather industry produces a substantial amount of solid waste, which is frequently disposed of via incineration or landfilling. While hydrolysis offers a valuable and sustainable method to chemically recycle leather waste, both acidic and alkaline processes present challenges due to the salts [...] Read more.
The leather industry produces a substantial amount of solid waste, which is frequently disposed of via incineration or landfilling. While hydrolysis offers a valuable and sustainable method to chemically recycle leather waste, both acidic and alkaline processes present challenges due to the salts produced during neutralization. This study aims to upcycle leather scraps through hydrolysis, producing a powdered filler for versatile composites suitable for both LCD vat photopolymerization and Direct Ink Writing 3D printing technologies. A zero-waste hydrolysis process was adopted using sulfuric acid neutralized with calcium hydroxide, achieving a yield of 91.3%. The composites featured a matrix composed of polyethylene-glycol-diacrylate and glycerol dimethacrylate, with embedded leather hydrolysate powder at concentrations up to 20% w/wmatrix. Tensile tests conducted on neat resin and composites demonstrated the strengthening effect of leather hydrolysate filler. Additionally, rheological tests displayed a viscoelastic behavior suitable for the adopted 3D printing technologies. The composites were successfully 3D-printed using both Direct Ink Writing and vat photopolymerization techniques, showing promising printing accuracy. This work demonstrates the potential of valorizing leather waste, upcycled via a hydrolysis method, to produce composites suitable for additive manufacturing to advance the sustainability and the circularity of the fashion sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Circular Polymer Composites for Additive Manufacturing)
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15 pages, 3412 KB  
Article
From Waste to Function: Compatibilized r-PET/r-HDPE Blends for Pellet Extrusion 3D Printing
by Seyed Amir Ali Bozorgnia Tabary, Jean-Pierre Bresse and Haniyeh (Ramona) Fayazfar
Polymers 2025, 17(12), 1638; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17121638 - 12 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1325
Abstract
The increasing accumulation of plastic waste—especially from packaging and post-consumer sources—calls for the development of sustainable recycling strategies. Due to the challenges associated with sorting mixed waste, directly processing waste streams offers a practical approach. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) are [...] Read more.
The increasing accumulation of plastic waste—especially from packaging and post-consumer sources—calls for the development of sustainable recycling strategies. Due to the challenges associated with sorting mixed waste, directly processing waste streams offers a practical approach. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) are common consumer plastics, but they are difficult to recycle together due to immiscibility and degradation. In mixed waste, recycled HDPE (r-HDPE) often contaminates the recycled PET (r-PET) stream. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers a promising solution to upcycle these mixed polymers into functional products with minimal waste. This study investigates the processing and characterization of r-PET/r-HDPE blends for AM, focusing on the role of compatibilizers in enhancing their properties. Blends were melt-compounded using a twin-screw extruder to improve dispersion, followed by direct pellet-based 3D printing. A compatibilizer (0–7 php) was incorporated to improve miscibility. Rheological testing showed that the 5 php compatibilizer optimized viscosity and elasticity, ensuring smoother extrusion. Thermal analysis revealed a 30 °C increase in crystallization temperature and a shift in decomposition temperature from 370 °C to 400 °C, indicating improved thermal stability. Mechanical testing showed a tensile strength of 35 MPa and 17% elongation at break at optimal loading. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed reduced phase separation and improved morphology. This work demonstrates that properly compatibilized r-PET/r-HDPE blends enable sustainable 3D printing without requiring polymer separation. The results highlight a viable path for the conversion of plastic waste into high-value, customizable components, contributing to landfill reduction and advancing circular economy practices in polymer manufacturing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable and Circular Polymer Composites for Additive Manufacturing)
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