What else can I do with recycled PLA plastic? Convertible into high-quality 3D printing resin
Plant-based polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics are widely prized for their biodegradability, but can take up to 100 years to decompose in landfills if the conditions are not right.
Scientists at Washington State University have developed a process that can be upscaled into 3D printing resins. In the new process, scientists used a low-valent chemical called aminoethanol to break down the long-chain molecules that make up polylactic acid. These chains will then be converted into simple monomers. The process takes about two days and can be done in mild temperatures.
Next, the monomers can be recombined to form light-curable resins similar to those used by some 3D printers today. In fact, 3D printing tests found that PLA-derived resins exhibited mechanical and thermal qualities equal to or even better than existing commercial resins.
