Abstract
Biocomposites incorporating bio-based polymers and natural fibers hold great promise due to their environmental and economic benefits, though their commercial use is still limited by production challenges. This study reports the development of polylactic acid (PLA) composite filament reinforced with 5 wt% date palm fibers for fused deposition modeling (FDM)-based 3D Printing. The biocomposite is fabricated through extrusion and 3D Printing, and its mechanical, thermal, and water absorption properties are characterized in this work. Fiber dispersion is examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), while tensile testing evaluates yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation at break. Fracture behavior and failure mechanisms are further analyzed through optical microscopy and SEM. The biocomposite shows higher yield strength (36.75 MPa) and tensile strength (53.69 MPa), representing improvements of 10.12% and 6.53%, respectively, compared to in-house extruded pure PLA. However, it exhibits lower ductility, as indicated by reduced elongation at break. Water absorption is also higher in the biocomposite (0.58%) than in pure PLA (0.10%). Both materials display similar thermal behavior and brittle fracture characteristics. These results highlight the reinforcing effect of date palm fibers and the role of processing on the behavior/performance of the biocomposite. Reinforcing PLA with a small fraction of date palm fibers, an abundant natural resource, offers a cost-effective and eco-friendly material, particularly suited for single-use plastic products where biodegradability and sustainability are essential. This study also confirms the suitability of PLA/date palm fiber filament for FDM-based 3D Printing.