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Been experimenting with biodegradable plastics – specifically PLA blends reinforced with things like wood fiber or even coffee grounds – in my 3D printing projects.While ABS and PETG are great for strength and durability, the environmental impact always nagged at me.
The results have been… fascinating. The finishes are often beautiful, especially the wood-filled filaments (gives a really natural look to things like planters or decorative objects). Strength-wise, they're generally fine for low-stress applications, but definitely not replacing ABS for anything load-bearing. One specific challenge I've run into is finding the right settings. They seem MUCH more sensitive to temperature and cooling than standard PLA, and I've wasted a fair bit of filament dialing things in.
Has anyone else delved into using biodegradable plastics more extensively for their maker projects? What are your go-to materials and techniques? What are the limitations you've encountered, and how have you overcome them? I'm particularly curious about using these materials for prototyping; seems like a good way to reduce waste in the design process.