Upcycling Beer Bagasse into PLA-Bagasse Filaments for Sustainable 3D Printing

Abstract

This study explores the transformation of beer bagasse, a byproduct of the brewing industry, into a biodegradable composite material for 3D printing. The focus was on developing filaments by blending dried and milled bagasse with polylactic acid (PLA) and epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO) as a plasticizer. Multiple compositions were tested to evaluate the influence of bagasse and plasticizer ratios on the mechanical properties and printability of the final material. The optimal filament (80% PLA + 20% BG) was printed using a Creality Ender 3 V3, demonstrating the potential of upcycling agricultural waste into functional additive manufacturing materials.

Description

Research poster presented at the "Second Workshop on Strengthening and Updating in Biomedicine Engineering"

Keywords

Citation

Areizaga, R., Soto, A., Febres, C., Ruiz, S., Sierra, B. & Marco, M. (2026). Upcycling Beer Bagasse into PLA-Bagasse Filaments for Sustainable 3D Printing [Research Poster]. Biomedical Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico.