Three‐Dimensional Printing of Post‐Consumer HDPE/LLDPE Blends

Abstract

ABSTRACT Polyethylene is one of the most widely used and versatile polymers, and recycling the large amount of waste generated each year is essential for achieving a circular economy. This study focuses on a high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) obtained from a previous blow molding process. The material, neat and blended with linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE), is reground and extruded into filament before being 3D printed through fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. The investigated blends are tested for tensile properties according to ASTM D3039 standard, showing an isotropic behavior. Additionally, thermal analysis reveals that blending with LLDPE reduces the degree of crystallinity, which improves printability.