Development and Characterisation of Post-Consumer High-Density Polyethylene (P-HDPE) Filament from Household Detergent Bottles

Lee, Yen Leng (2026) Development and Characterisation of Post-Consumer High-Density Polyethylene (P-HDPE) Filament from Household Detergent Bottles. Final Year Project (Diploma), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

Text LEE YEN LENG_Full Text.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB)

Abstract

This study examines the development of detergent bottle of a sustainable 3D printing filament derived from post-consumer high-density polyethylene (P-HDPE), reinforced with calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) as a filler. The objective was to enhance filament printability, dimensional stability, and mechanical performance while reducing the total costs. P-HDPE was cleaned, shredded, dried, and extruded into pellets before being processed into filaments with CaCO₃ contents of 0 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt% using a 3devo Composer 350 filament extruder. Tensile testing specimens were fabricated through fused filament fabrication (FFF) using an Ender-3 V2 printer under controlled process parameters. Characterization techniques included filament diameter and ovality measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile testing according to ASTM D638. The results indicate that the addition of CaCO₃ significantly improved filament diameter consistency and thermal stability, with 10 wt% identified as optimal composition, providing a balance between mechanical strength and dimensional uniformity. Furthermore, the cost analysis revealed that the P-HDPE/CaCO₃ filament is considerably more cost-effective compared to commercial high-density polyethylene (HDPE) filaments. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of upcycling P-HDPE into functional 3D printing materials, supporting sustainable manufacturing and contributing to circular economy practices