TY - JOUR
T1 - Techno-economic and life cycle assessment of lignin-based blended resin for 3D printing
AU - Ahire, J. P.
AU - Bergman, R.
AU - Runge, T.
AU - Chmely, S. C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors
PY - 2025/5
Y1 - 2025/5
N2 - As CO2 emissions reach record highs, finding renewable, low-cost, and low-carbon alternatives to fossil fuel-based products is critical. This study examines the techno-economic and life cycle assessment (TEA-LCA) of lignin-based blended resin for 3D printing, investigating lignin, a renewable and affordable resource, as an alternative to petroleum-derived resins. Kraft lignin was fractionated into a low molecular weight fraction and combined with commercial resin in a 9:1 ratio or 10 % by weight. TEA estimated the production cost of the resin at $38.43/kg with a minimum selling price of $38.85/kg for a 10 MT/batch plant. LCA results revealed a global warming impact of 6.64 kg CO2 eq/kg of resin, with highest emissions coming from the commercial epoxy resin. Utilizing higher percentages of lignin instead of the commercial resin could substantially lower both production costs and environmental impacts, providing a more sustainable option for 3D printing.
AB - As CO2 emissions reach record highs, finding renewable, low-cost, and low-carbon alternatives to fossil fuel-based products is critical. This study examines the techno-economic and life cycle assessment (TEA-LCA) of lignin-based blended resin for 3D printing, investigating lignin, a renewable and affordable resource, as an alternative to petroleum-derived resins. Kraft lignin was fractionated into a low molecular weight fraction and combined with commercial resin in a 9:1 ratio or 10 % by weight. TEA estimated the production cost of the resin at $38.43/kg with a minimum selling price of $38.85/kg for a 10 MT/batch plant. LCA results revealed a global warming impact of 6.64 kg CO2 eq/kg of resin, with highest emissions coming from the commercial epoxy resin. Utilizing higher percentages of lignin instead of the commercial resin could substantially lower both production costs and environmental impacts, providing a more sustainable option for 3D printing.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/86000346273
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=86000346273&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.120803
DO - 10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.120803
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:86000346273
SN - 0926-6690
VL - 227
JO - Industrial Crops and Products
JF - Industrial Crops and Products
M1 - 120803
ER -
