Decoupling additive manufacturing from virgin resource consumption through recyclable bio-composites
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Additive manufacturing could support decentralised, on-demand production, but it remains largely reliant on linear polymer systems that consume virgin resources and generate persistent waste. Here, we report a fully bio-derived composite platform for closed-loop additive manufacturing based on dynamic lipoic acid networks and renewable fillers. Printable inks containing hydroxyapatite or thiol-functionalized silica were processed by direct ink writing to produce robust three-dimensional structures. Unlike most sustainable 3D-printing strategies, which depend on biodegradation or downcycling through mechanical reprocessing, our lipoate matrix enables printed objects to be thermally recycled directly back into their original printable ink. This allows repeated cycles of fabrication, use, recovery and re-fabrication with minimal losses in printability, material recovery and mechanical performance. Life-cycle assessment shows that this circular materials design reduces impacts on human health, ecosystem quality and resource use, establishing a pathway to circular additive manufacturing that retains material value across multiple life cycles.
Source: ChemRxiv
Institutions: Texas A&M University, Qassim University, University of Birmingham
Language: English
Subfield: Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7211906292