Lignin-Derived Sustainable Polymers and Tribological Performance in Additive Manufacturing: Towards High-Performance Bio-Based Composite Materials

Abstract

Background: The urgent global imperative to transition away from fossil-derived polymers has intensified research into renewable, sustainable polymer systems. Lignin, as an abundant aromatic biopolymer, offers a unique combination of structural complexity, chemical functionality, and renewable availability that make it a promising feedstock for sustainable polymers and polymer composites (Zhu et al., 2016; Duval & Lawoko, 2014). Objectives: This study synthesizes and critically analyses advances in lignin-based polymer design, controlled polymerization strategies, and the integration of lignin derivatives into thermoplastic matrices, with a special focus on tribological performance in additively manufactured parts (Ganewatta et al., 2019; Tran et al., 2016). Methods: We conducted a detailed, theory-driven synthesis of the literature provided, integrating mechanistic perspectives on lignin chemistry, polymer architecture design, nanostructuring techniques, and processing–structure–property relationships relevant to tribology in fused deposition modeling (FDM) and related additive manufacturing methods (Funaoka et al., 2015; Grossman & Vermerris, 2018). Results: The analysis reveals that lignin can be employed both as a macromolecular chain component via covalent incorporation and as a functional filler or compatibilizer to alter matrix crystallinity, glass transition, and interfacial adhesion—all of which modulate friction, wear, and load-bearing capacity in printed components (Glasser, 2001; Shlykov et al., 2022). Case studies in renewable thermoplastics demonstrate that nanostructured lignin-elastomer systems achieve unexpectedly high mechanical resilience and favorable energy dissipation while maintaining improved biodegradability profiles (Tran et al., 2016). In terms of tribology, the interplay between print layer geometry, applied normal load, and surface modification (including in-process addition of solid lubricants) critically determines sliding friction and wear rates (Shaharuddin et al., 2023; Sukri et al., 2023). Conclusions: Lignin-based polymers present a viable route toward sustainable, high-performance polymer composites with tunable tribological properties suitable for additive manufacturing. However, the field faces structural challenges—chemical heterogeneity of technical lignins, scale-up of controlled polymerization routes, and the need for standardized tribological testing protocols tailored to 3D-printed geometries—that must be resolved for industrial adoption (Ganewatta et al., 2019; Wang et al., 2024). Implications: Strategic research combining lignin chemistry, advanced polymerization, nanoscale morphology control, and additive manufacturing process engineering can deliver bio-based materials that satisfy both environmental and functional performance requirements. This article offers a detailed conceptual roadmap and theoretical foundations for future empirical work in this multidisciplinary area.