3D Printing of polymer composites: A short review

Abstract

Composite or reinforced materials, especially in the class of polymers, are becoming prominent materials for the diversified range of engineering and scientific utilities because of their physical, chemical, mechanical, and structural excellences. Indeed, the main credit for the widespread acknowledgment of polymer matrix composites (PMCs) goes to the various types of natural and synthetic reinforcements, which resulted in good interfacial chemistries. However, the intrinsic challenges of traditional manufacturing technologies always presented restrictions in the development of application specific PMCs. Reportedly, with an evolution of three‐dimensional printing (3DP) technologies, the applications of PMCs have been transformed as these enabled the production of near‐net shapes with high degree of control over the design, reinforcements, and processing parametric while maintaining the waste associated at minimal level. However, the industrial benefits of 3DP technologies for still limited owing to the lack of awareness among the young professionals and industrialists. Moreover, the literature available in this regard is either too scattered making it tedious for the professionals to go through or limited to only fundamental concepts. Therefore, the concept of this review paper is to provide brief research‐based insights of different 3DP technologies (namely, fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, stereolithography, laminated object manufacturing, and inkjet printing), material systems, applications, and the future paradigms of research as a short and precise document.

3D Printing of Fibre-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites Using Fused Filament Fabrication—A Review

“…For example, a hydrogel combined with a UV curable adhesive to form a composite exhibiting properties similar to organic tissues, such as cartilage, was demonstrated [ 5 ]. A range of other polymer 3D printing technologies are also available, including Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Laminated Object Modelling (LOM), Multi Jet Fusion Printing and Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) processes [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. The latter technique, which is also known by the trade name Fused Deposition Modelling, is one of the most widely used amongst all the 3D printing techniques, showing great potential for fabricating 3D geometry parts with the capacity to compete with conventional processing techniques [ 9 , 10 , 11 ].…”

Three-Dimensional Printing Constructs Based on the Chitosan for Tissue Regeneration: State of the Art, Developing Directions and Prospect Trends

“…Common polymer materials employed in SLA tend to be acrylic and epoxy resins. Comprehending the curing responses taking place throughout polymerization is essential to manage the level of quality of ultimate printed components [12,18,46]. Strength of the laser power, scan rate and timeframe of exposure has an impact on the curing period and printing quality.…”

“…Regardless of these positive aspects, the high price of this method is a primary issue for commercial plans. Feasible cytotoxicity of residual photo-initiator and uncured resin is an additional issue [12,46]. PSL prints every single layer together with a single shot of laser exposure through generating designed laser lights and SSL scans the surface of each one layer to produce designs.…”

“…SSL, alternatively, is great for big size printing at the price of quality. PSL likewise offers a faster printing period in comparison with SSL since every single layer is printed in an individual shot [12,46]. Lately, the experts have designed a scanning-projection-dependent stereo-lithography (SPSL) which often couples PSL with SSL.…”

The Transferability and Design of Commercial Printer Settings in PLA/PBAT Fused Filament Fabrication

“…Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to make complex shapes with less raw/scrap polymeric material by creating lightweight, topologically optimized structures compared to conventional manufacturing techniques [1][2][3]. Fused filament fabrication (FFF) involving polymers such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer (ABS) is one of the well-known Both material properties and FFF conditions have an impact on the macroscopic properties of the final product, but the less studied (commercial) printer selection also affects the performance of FFF final material structures [4,5].…”