Novel lignin microspheres reinforced poly (lactic acid) composites for fused deposition modeling

Abstract Lignin microspheres were prepared by the solvent‐anti‐solvent method and blended with pure poly (lactic acid) (PLA) to prepare lignin microspheres/PLA composites for fused deposition modeling. Lignin microspheres were successfully prepared by using deionized water as the anti‐solvent and methanol (MAL), ethanol (EAL), and n‐propanol (NPA) as solvent, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of lignin microspheres showed that the best microspheres were prepared by NPA at 60 C (NPA‐60), with the size range of microspheres between 800 and 1000 nm. Moreover, the lignin microspheres/PLA composites showed the best mechanical properties when 0.375 wt% NPA‐60 was doped into PLA matrix. Compared with pure PLA, the tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength of the 0.375 wt% NPA‐60/PLA composites were increased by 49.80%, 25.00%, and 112.64%, respectively. Therefore, the lignin microsphere/PLA composites prepared by using a small amount of lignin microspheres as reinforcing filler has excellent mechanical properties, which are ideal 3D printing materials for fused deposition modeling.