Page 51 - Plastics News April 2023

TECHNOLOGY

Eco-friendly 3D printed polymer composite parts made from chitosan of ter-
restrial insects

neat PLA, was attributed to the de-
creased interfacial bonding between
the reinforcement and matrix. This
resulted in polymeric slippage when
the composite was subjected to an
external load. However, the chitin/
PLA and chitosan/PLA composites
demonstrated enhanced ductility rel-
ative to neat PLA, with the 0.1 wt%
chitin composite showing the highest
ductility. It was concluded that chi-
tin and chitosan could contribute to
n international interdisciplinary efits to extracting chitosan from ter- toughening the PLA composite.
Ateam of researchers from India, restrial insects, including sustainable
Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand has and eco-friendly production. The study also found that the density
successfully developed a method of Insects are a sustainable source of of the composites increased with in-
using chitosan from terrestrial insects chitosan, as they can be easily farmed creasing concentrations of chitin and
to manufacture eco-friendly polymer and harvested in large quantities chitosan. FTIR and XRD analyses
composite parts using the 3D printing without contributing to environmen- confirmed the crystalline and chemi-
method. tal pollution. In contrast, traditional cal bonding nature of the composite

3D printing is a form of additive manu- sources of chitosan such as shrimp samples. Microstructural examination
showed voids and impurity-like par-
facturing technology that is becoming and crab shells can be unsustainable ticles associated with chitin and chi-
increasingly popular in recent times and have negative environmental im- tosan decomposition in the compos-
due to its ability to produce complex pacts. However, how best to use chi- ites. The Chitin/PLA and Chitosan/
shapes and geometries that were tin and chitosan materials derive from PLA composites exhibited good ther-
difficult to achieve using traditional terrestrial insects remains debatable. mal stability, and could have potential
manufacturing techniques. As a result, This study has investigated the feasi- applications for food product packag-
the demand for raw material for 3D bility of developing an environmen- ing based on their compressive prop-
printing is on the rise. It is crucial to tally friendly composite material us- erties.
ensure responsible usage of raw ma- ing 3D printing technology. The study
terials for 3D printing to meet the UN found that the addition of chitin and Further research is needed to inves-
Sustainable Development Goal 12, chitosan, derived from terrestrial in- tigate interfacial bonding and post-
i.e., promoting sustainable consump- sects, to the PLA matrix led to a de- treatment processes to improve the
tion and production patterns. mechanical characteristics of the com-
crease in strength and stiffness, which posites and scalability of the method
Chitosan is a natural biopolymer that worsened with increasing concentra- for industrial production. One thing
is derived from chitin, a polysaccha- tions of chitin and chitosan. The com- for sure, using the chitosan (chitin)
ride found in the exoskeletons of ar- posite material with 0.5 wt% chitin derived from terrestrial insects as a
thropods such as insects, as well as reinforcement had the lowest tensile material for making filaments for 3D
in sea creatures such in the shells of and flexural strength compared to printing of parts could lend to a low
crabs. Terrestrial insects are a poten- other composites produced using ad- carbon way of meeting the UN Sus-
tial source of chitosan due to their ditive manufacturing. tainable Development Goal 12, i.e.,
abundance, accessibility, and relatively The reduction in strength and stiff- promoting sustainable consumption
high chitin content in their exoskele- ness of the chitin/PLA and chitosan/ and production patterns.
tons. There are several potential ben- PLA composites, in comparison to

PLASTICS NEWS 51
April 2023