Pozzolan Based 3D Printing Composites: From the Formulation Till the Final Application in the Precision Irrigation Field

Abstract

A new eco-composite polymer for material extrusion fabrication based on fine fraction pozzolan waste was developed. In addition, the composite materials obtained were used to produce a self-watering pot with complex geometry and a permeable porous part to regulate the passage of water from the storage area to the roots of the plant. Moreover, the system was devised with a cover characterized by a UV-B barrier film. The results have shown the possibility of the 3D printing of complex geometric parts as microporous structures or thin films using a composite based on poly lactic acid (PLA) and pozzolan. The pozzolan has an effect of reinforcement for the composite and at the same time improves the cohesion between the layers of the part during printing.