Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Optimizing wood-hemp-sodium silicate mixes for 3D printing strength
By Tanikella NG et al.·2026·Department of Mechanical Engineering, United States·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: Optimizing Wood-Hemp-Sodium Silicate Composites for Strength, Extrudability, and Cost in Additive Manufacturing Applications.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how to make stronger and cheaper materials for 3D printing using leftover wood and hemp. Researchers tested different mixes of wood fibers, sodium silicate (a type of glass-like material), and hemp to see how they performed in terms of strength and ease of use. They found that using finer wood particles made the materials stronger, and the right amount of liquid in the mix was important for how well it could be processed. The best combination they discovered used pellet wood fibers, a specific amount of sodium silicate, and some hemp, which provided a good balance of strength and cost-effectiveness. Overall, this formulation was successful in achieving a strong material that is also economical to produce.
Abstract
Utilizing forestry and agricultural byproducts like wood and hemp residues advance sustainable additive manufacturing (AM), while reducing material costs. This study investigated the development and characterization of wood-sodium silicate composites incorporating hemp hurd and hemp fibers for AM applications. Formulations varied by wood fiber type (unsifted, 40 mesh, and pellet), sodium silicate concentration (50-60 wt%), and hemp hurd content (0-15 wt%). Properties evaluated include particle size and bulk density of the constituent materials, rheological behavior, extrusion performance, composite bulk density, and flexural and compressive strengths. Rheology and extrusion were largely influenced by the liquid content. Mixtures with low liquid content (50 wt% sodium silicate) had high motor power and low viscosity. As liquid content increased, motor power decreased, while viscosity increased up to 55 wt% and then decreased at 60 wt%. Mechanical properties correlated with particle size, where finer particles enhanced strength. A cost analysis was conducted using raw material prices to determine the economic feasibility of each formulation. Finally, the formulations were evaluated based on strength-to-cost ratios, extrudability and processability. The formulation with pellet wood fibers, 55 wt% sodium silicate, and 10 wt% hemp hurd achieved a high ratio of 73.0 MPa/$ while maintaining low motor power. This formulation offered additional benefits which are discussed qualitatively.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41598068