Wear and Surface Characterization of Polylactic Acid Composite Filaments Incorporated With Printed Circuit Board Waste for Fused Deposition Modeling

This study investigated the wear behavior and surface characteristics of polylactide (PLA)‐based composite filaments engineered for affinity with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) processes. Recycled Electronic Waste‐derived Printed Circuit Board (EW‐PCB) material is employed as a filler at 1 and 3 wt. % by weight. To augment the ductility of the filaments, flexi PLA F2110 is incorporated as a plasticizer. Surface characterization of the samples is assessed by employing wettability measurement, Surface Roughness (SR) analysis, and Surface Hardness (SH) testing. The results exposed that EW‐PCB particles enhanced the SH of the composite filament by approximately 5%–10% compared to the neat filament, while concurrently reducing the surface finish quality by up to 20%. Wettability is assessed using water contact angle measurements, revealing a 10% enhancement in surface wettability upon the incorporation of 3 wt. % EW‐PCB filler particles. Tribological testing is conducted in accordance with ASTM G99 standards to evaluate the Specific Wear Rate, Frictional Force, and Coefficient of Friction under diverse normal loads and sliding velocities. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is utilized to model the effects of plasticizer content and filler concentration on wear behavior. Although plasticizer addition and EW‐PCB inclusion improve wear performance under mild conditions, they are insufficient to diminish wear under high‐load and velocity regimes. Microscopy is employed to conduct post‐test morphological evaluations of worn surfaces in order to assess wear mechanisms.