Life cycle energy and greenhouse gas emissions implications of polyamide 12 recycling from selective laser sintering for an injection‐molded automotive component

Bibliographic Data

ID21650404
AuthorsDi He (0000-0002-3589-4484, ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures, School of Engineering Australian National University Canberra Australia, corresponding author), Hyung Chul Kim (0000-0002-0992-4547, Research and Innovation Center Ford Motor Company Dearborn Michigan USA), Robert De Kleine (0000-0002-6510-9336, Research and Innovation Center Ford Motor Company Dearborn Michigan USA), Vi Kie Soo (0000-0003-1901-2207, ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures, School of Engineering Australian National University Canberra Australia), Alper Kiziltas (Research and Innovation Center Ford Motor Company Dearborn Michigan USA), Alper Kızıltaş (0000-0001-9297-2007, Ford Motor Company (United States)), Paul Compston (0000-0002-0245-3017, ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures, School of Engineering Australian National University Canberra Australia), Matthew Doolan (0000-0003-3492-3877, ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures, School of Engineering Australian National University Canberra Australia)
Year2022
Volume26
Issue4
Pages1378-1388
Publication date2022-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Industrial Ecology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1088-1980 • E-ISSN: 1530-9290
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/jiec.13277
OpenAlexW4224262488
LanguageEN
References cited22

The selective laser sintering (SLS) process generates waste polymer powders, which can be recycled as feedstock for producing injection‐molded components. Recycling this powder has implications on the life cycle modeling of the SLS product, as well as the subsequent injection‐molded component. This study investigates the life cycle primary energy demand (PED) and global warming potential (GWP) of an automotive fuel‐line clip produced with recycled polyamide 12 (PA12) from an SLS process in comparison to the conventional polyamide 66 (PA66) counterpart, based on real‐world industry data. In addition, the life cycle PED and GWP of an SLS part are examined, with and without recycling PA12 from the SLS process. The results indicate a strong dependence on the approach to evaluate the environmental burden of waste PA12 from the SLS process (cut‐off, mass‐based allocation, economic allocation, and substitution). Compared with the PA66 fuel‐line clip, the recycled PA12 (rPA12) clip reduces the life cycle GWP by up to 26% (cut‐off) or increases by up to 68% (mass‐based allocation). For the SLS part, recycling PA12 powder provides a 42% reduction to its life cycle GWP (mass‐based allocation). Finally, from an expanded two‐part system perspective, the recycling of PA12 from the SLS process provides an 8% reduction in life cycle GWP. Similar trends are shown for the life cycle PED profiles. This study demonstrates the importance of recycling additive manufacturing (AM) wastes within a broader cascading system to improve the environmental performance of AM and the circular economy across industrial systems

Automotive industry · Composite material · Greenhouse gas · Life-cycle assessment · Polyamide · Process engineering · Pulp and paper industry · Raw material · Selective laser sintering · Sintering · Waste management · Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies · Chemistry · Engineering · Environmental Impact and Sustainability · Environmental Science · Materials Science · Recycling and Waste Management Techniques · Organic Chemistry

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