Adjunct Research Professor; CEO & Founder Western University; ReEarthMater Inc.
As global manufacturing transitions toward circularity, the need for scalable, high-performance, and low-carbon materials has never been more urgent. Conventional polymers and composites—particularly those derived from fossil-based sources—pose persistent challenges in waste accumulation, downcycling, and carbon intensity. This talk presents an integrated materials-to-manufacturing framework that bridges scientific innovation at the Eco-Friendly Circular Advanced Materials & Additive Manufacturing (E-CAM) Lab with real-world industrial translation through ReEarthMater Inc. We introduce a circular materials platform that valorizes unsorted waste plastics, agricultural residues, and bio-derived fillers into high-performance feedstocks for additive manufacturing (AM). Through a multi-scale design approach—spanning formulation, compounding, rheology, extrusion, and 3D printing—we demonstrate how mixed waste streams can be compatibilized, bio-augmented, and engineered to achieve mechanical, thermal, and functional performance on par with or exceeding virgin materials. Key developments include: • Co-continuous polymer blends produced from unsorted HDPE/PET/PP waste using tailored compatibilizers and biofillers. • Carbon-negative composites incorporating engineered biochar to enhance stiffness, thermal stability, electrical properties, and environmental durability. • Biodegradable and compostable systems, such as TPS-biochar and PLA-hemp composites, designed for rigid packaging and functional prototyping. • Scale-up demonstrations on industrial filament lines and pellet-extrusion platforms (WASP, BigRep), validating manufacturability and dimensional stability. • Circular economy pathways, showing how laboratory discoveries translate into commercial feedstock products (EcoFil™, EcoPel™, EcoForm™, ReAdd™) through ReEarthMater. By closing the loop—turning waste into engineered, high-value feedstocks—this work outlines a practical roadmap for decarbonizing additive manufacturing while expanding material availability for industry. The presentation highlights opportunities for collaborative development, standards alignment, and deployment of next-generation circular materials across packaging, construction, automotive, and large-format AM.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to describe how waste and biomass streams can be formulated and engineered into high-performance, printable feedstocks for industrial additive manufacturing.
Upon completion, participants will be able to identify key compatibilization and bio-augmentation strategies that enable waste plastics and biofillers to achieve high-performance material properties.
Upon completion, participants will be able to evaluate real-world pathways for integrating circular, waste-derived materials into existing filament, pellet, and large-format AM systems to support sustainable and scalable industrial applications.
