Reuse of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Waste in MSLA 3D Printing: Mechanical Properties and Sustainability Assessment

Abstract:

The use of composite materials and specifically of Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) is continuously increasing in structural applications due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. From an environmental perspective, composites still face relevant challenges due to impactful petroleum-based matrices and large amounts of waste generated during manufacturing processes. This study proposes the reuse of FRP machining waste as filler in Masked Stereolithography (M-SLA) 3D printing. Scraps from FRP laminates, obtained during drilling operations, were incorporated into a photocurable resin and used to print tensile and flexural specimens with increasing filler contents (0–5 wt%) and mechanical characterization tests were carried out. A cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed to quantify the potential environmental benefits associated with the reduced use of virgin resin. Results show that the use of recycled FRP waste leads to a loss of tensile strength and stiffness (up to 61% and 21% respectively) but it also provides a reduction in Global Warming Potential (about 2% at 5 wt% filler). This demonstrates that the proposed strategy can improve the sustainability of 3D-printed components, especially for non-structural applications.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 1051)
• Pages: 29-39
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-zb6Lcl
• Online since: April 2026
• Authors: Iacopo Bianchi*, Massimo Di Pietro, Archimede Forcellese, Chiara Mignanelli, Michela Simoncini, Tommaso Verdini
• Keywords: 3D Printing, Composite Materials, Sustainability

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