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Additive Manufacturing of Structural Materials and Their Composites

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2026 | Viewed by 897

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
Interests: composites; lattice architectures; advanced and smart materials; material characterization; mechanical properties; impact and ballistic resistance; vibration attenuation; heat transfer; additive manufacturing; intelligent manufacturing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a transformative technology, empowering structural design with unprecedented freedom. Its core advantage lies in directly fabricating complex topological structures, thereby turning the concept of multifunctional integration into reality. At present, AM structural materials are used in a wide range of applications, including aerospace, electronic packaging, biomedical devices, and energy storage. Their structural mechanical behavior and material characteristics can be analyzed and predicted using both experimental characterization and numerical simulation. Finite element analysis (FEA) is widely used to simulate the printing process and predict the service behavior of AM structural materials; meanwhile, topology optimization and process parameter control can enhance component performance and effectively reduce printing defects such as cracking and porosity.

In this Special Issue, we particularly welcome the submission of full papers involving original research studies, review papers, and experimental or numerical investigations related to the material, structure, process optimization, experimental characterization, numerical simulation, and application of AM. The topics include (but are not limited to) studies on AM materials, structural design, AM processes, topology optimization of complex structures, multiphysics numerical simulation, and other areas of research related to AM. It should be noted that numerical or analytical research work without test verification is not recommended.

Prof. Dr. Bin Han
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • additive manufacturing
  • structural materials
  • lattice architectures
  • metamaterials
  • optimization
  • simulation
  • defect analysis
  • composites
  • mechanical properties
  • material characterization

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 9816 KB  
Article
A Prediction Model of Interlayer Bond Strength for 3D-Printed Concrete Considering Printing Interval and Environmental Effects
by Wenbin Xu, Zihao Xu, Tao Liu, Jun Ouyang, Juan Wang, Hailong Wang and Wenqiang Xu
Materials 2026, 19(7), 1377; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19071377 - 30 Mar 2026
Viewed by 431
Abstract
Interlayer bond strength is critical for ensuring the safety and durability of 3D-printed concrete (3DPC) structures. However, there remains a lack of real-time prediction methods addressing interlayer performance under the combined effects of interval time and environmental factors during the in situ printing [...] Read more.
Interlayer bond strength is critical for ensuring the safety and durability of 3D-printed concrete (3DPC) structures. However, there remains a lack of real-time prediction methods addressing interlayer performance under the combined effects of interval time and environmental factors during the in situ printing process. To address this issue, this study conducted experiments considering various printing interval times and environmental conditions, incorporating monitoring of dielectric constant and water evaporation, alongside interlayer splitting tensile tests. By integrating the SHAP interpretability algorithm with nonlinear regression analysis, the results indicate that the printing interval time is the dominant factor inducing interlayer strength decay (with a contribution rate of 68.6%), while relative humidity emerges as the primary environmental variable (with a contribution rate of 21.3%). Mechanism analysis reveals that prolonged printing intervals intensify the hydration of the lower deposited layer, leading to reduced interfacial moisture content and loss of plasticity. Furthermore, environmental evaporation significantly regulates this process, with high-humidity environments notably mitigating the moisture loss and strength reduction caused by time delays. Based on the correlation mechanism between moisture and strength, a dimensionless general prediction model for 3DPC interlayer strength was established, incorporating printing interval time and an evaporation index (goodness of fit, R2 = 0.96). Consequently, a digital twin quality inversion scheme based on companion specimen monitoring and printing timestamps was proposed. This study quantifies the intrinsic relationships among printing interval time, environmental conditions, and interlayer strength, offering a novel approach for determining the construction window and achieving non-destructive quality prediction for 3DPC in complex environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Structural Materials and Their Composites)
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19 pages, 4223 KB  
Article
Enhancing the Performance of Laser Powder Bed-Fused Inconel 718 Through Effective Spatter Removal via Atmosphere Protection System Optimization
by Yuxuan Jiang, Yin Wang, Yukai Chen, Yu Lu, Chuyue Wen, Bin Han and Qi Zhang
Materials 2026, 19(5), 917; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19050917 - 27 Feb 2026
Viewed by 257
Abstract
While extensive research on laser powder bed fusion has focused on optimizing process parameters to improve the performance of manufactured parts, the critical role of effective spatter particle removal in mitigating defects during manufacturing has not received commensurate attention. To address these issues, [...] Read more.
While extensive research on laser powder bed fusion has focused on optimizing process parameters to improve the performance of manufactured parts, the critical role of effective spatter particle removal in mitigating defects during manufacturing has not received commensurate attention. To address these issues, this study investigates the influence of a key parameter in the atmosphere protection system, namely, airflow velocity, on part performance. Methodologically, a combined approach of numerical simulation and experimental methods was employed to examine in detail the effect of airflow velocity on spatter removal efficiency and its corresponding contribution to the enhancement of formed Inconel 718 part quality. First, Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Phase Model simulations identified an optimal airflow velocity of 0.57 m/s. Subsequently, experimental observations using a high-speed camera system revealed that velocities below 0.6 m/s led to spatter redeposition, resulting in pore and defect formation, whereas velocities exceeding 0.6 m/s increased spatter size and reduced molten-pool stability. The simulation and experimental results are consistent, demonstrating that an appropriate airflow velocity can effectively suppress defects and thereby improve the quality of the fabricated components. This research provides a viable pathway for significantly enhancing the mechanical properties of laser powder bed-fused Inconel 718. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Structural Materials and Their Composites)
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