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Micromachines
Special Issues
3D/4D Printing of Multifunctional Composites with Multifunctional Applications
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3D/4D Printing of Multifunctional Composites with Multifunctional Applications

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "D3: 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 4419

Special Issue Editor

Dr. George Kenanakis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, N. Plastira 100, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
Interests: 3D printing; nanocomposites; metamaterials; energy harvesting; photocatalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), provides great opportunities for the manufacture of complex and personalized products for industrial and environmental applications, such as in aerospace, vehicles, renewable energy, construction, biomedical technology, and prototypes. A wide range of 3D structures and geometries can be fabricated using different kinds of materials, such as metals, polymers, ceramics, and fiber-reinforced composites.

During the last decade, 3D printing using new intelligent materials, very often based on composites, and innovative design and technological solutions evolved into a new concept, namely so-called 4D printing. The process of 4D printing is where 3D-printed objects can transform over time based on specific stimuli, such as heat, light, wind, or electricity, based on a set of instructions written into their geometric coding.

In this Special Issue, we aim to present a collection of reviews, perspectives, and research articles that highlight the latest advancements in 3D and 4D printing. This Special Issue will be split into two distinctive parts, as follows:

(a) The initial section will cover the latest advancements in 3D/4D printing, rapid tooling and manufacturing, customized mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties, quality control and AM standards, case studies, etc., and several novel applications, such as 3D/4D-printed circuits and electronics, flexible electrodes, large-scale photocatalytic/self-cleaning filters and devices, 3D/4D printing for medicine and biomedical engineering, photonic metamaterials and metasurfaces, etc., to name but a few.

(b) The second section will cover the exploration of innovative 3D/4D-printed nanostructures and nanocomposites for applications in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMSs) and the creation of adaptive materials to enable the construction of dynamic devices characterized by adaptable properties and reconfigurable architectures.

Dr. George Kenanakis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2100 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

  • 3D/4D printing
  • rapid prototyping
  • additive manufacturing
  • composites materials
  • multifunctional structures
  • adaptive materials

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 13463 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Characteristics of the Laser Powder Bed Fusion of SiCp/AlSi10Mg Composites: From a Single Track to a Cubic Block
by Ying He, Gang Xue, Haifeng Xiao and Haihong Zhu
Micromachines 2025, 16(6), 697; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16060697 - 11 Jun 2025
Abstract
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of SiCp/AlSi10Mg is promising in many industrial fields. In this paper, the characteristics of a 15 wt.% 1200 mesh SiCp/AlSi10Mg metal matrix composite fabricated by LPBF were investigated systematically, i.e., from a single track to a block. It [...] Read more.
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of SiCp/AlSi10Mg is promising in many industrial fields. In this paper, the characteristics of a 15 wt.% 1200 mesh SiCp/AlSi10Mg metal matrix composite fabricated by LPBF were investigated systematically, i.e., from a single track to a block. It was found that when the laser energy input was high enough, the single track was continuous and not distorted; when the laser energy input was low, the single track was unstable and wrinkled. The densification of the LPBFed composite sample was influenced significantly by the surface morphologies and geometric dimensions of the single tracks. As high as 98.9% relative density was achieved when the optimized processing parameters were used. Because of the good wettability and the interfacial reaction during the process, the interface of SiC and the matrix showed good bonding. Near the interface of SiC and the matrix, needle-shaped phase Al4SiC4 could be found both in the single track and block, and the faceted particle Si was formed in the block because of the interfacial reaction. The microhardness of the LPBFed SiCp/AlSi10Mg composites was much higher than that of the LPBFed unreinforced AlSi10Mg. A coefficient of friction of 0.178 and wear rate of 2.02 × 10−4 mm3/(N⋅m) were achieved for the LPBFed composites. The main wear mechanism was delamination wear, accompanied by abrasive wear. The maximum yield strength and ultimate compressive strength were 566.6 MPa and 764.1 MPa, respectively. The fracture mode of the LPBFed composites is mainly brittle fracture. This study provides a theoretical and technical basis for LPBFed SiCp/AlSi10Mg 3D parts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D/4D Printing of Multifunctional Composites with Multifunctional Applications)
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19 pages, 2004 KiB  
Article
Composite Magnetic Filaments: From Fabrication to Magnetic Hyperthermia Application
by Athanasios Alexandridis, Apostolos Argyros, Pavlos Kyriazopoulos, Ioannis Genitseftsis, Nikiforos Okkalidis, Nikolaos Michailidis, Makis Angelakeris and Antonios Makridis
Micromachines 2025, 16(3), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16030328 - 12 Mar 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 693
Abstract
The printing of composite magnetic filaments using additive manufacturing techniques has emerged as a promising approach for biomedical applications, particularly in bone tissue engineering and magnetic hyperthermia treatments. This study focuses on the synthesis of nanocomposite ferromagnetic filaments and the fabrication of bone [...] Read more.
The printing of composite magnetic filaments using additive manufacturing techniques has emerged as a promising approach for biomedical applications, particularly in bone tissue engineering and magnetic hyperthermia treatments. This study focuses on the synthesis of nanocomposite ferromagnetic filaments and the fabrication of bone tissue scaffolds with time-dependent properties. Three classes of polylactic acid-based biocompatible polymers—EasyFil, Tough and Premium—were combined with magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4) at concentrations of 10 wt% and 20 wt%. Extruded filaments were evaluated for microstructural integrity, printed dog-bone-shaped specimens were tested for elongation and mechanical properties, and cylindrical scaffolds were analyzed for magnetic hyperthermia performance. The tensile strength of EasyFil polylactic acid decreased from 1834 MPa (0 wt% Fe3O4) to 1130 MPa (−38%) at 20 wt% Fe3O4, while Premium polylactic acid showed a more moderate reduction from 1800 MPa to 1567 MPa (−13%). The elongation at break was reduced across all samples, with the highest decrease observed in EasyFil polylactic acid (from 42% to 26%, −38%). Magnetic hyperthermia performance, measured by the specific absorption rate, demonstrated that the 20 wt% Fe3O4 scaffolds achieved specific absorption rate values of 2–7.5 W/g, depending on polymer type. Our results show that by carefully selecting the right thermoplastic material, we can balance both mechanical integrity and thermal efficiency. Among the tested materials, Tough polylactic acid composites demonstrated the most promising potential for magnetic hyperthermia applications, providing optimal heating performance without significantly compromising scaffold strength. These findings offer critical insights into designing magnetic scaffolds optimized for tissue regeneration and hyperthermia-based therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D/4D Printing of Multifunctional Composites with Multifunctional Applications)
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18 pages, 7728 KiB  
Article
Enhancing 3D Printing Copper-PLA Composite Fabrication via Fused Deposition Modeling through Statistical Process Parameter Study
by Mahmoud Moradi, Omid Mehrabi, Fakhir A. Rasoul, Anas Abid Mattie, Friedemann Schaber and Rasoul Khandan
Micromachines 2024, 15(9), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15091082 - 27 Aug 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1752
Abstract
The rapid advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies has provided new avenues for creating three-dimensional (3D) parts with intricate geometries. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a prominent technology in this domain, involving the layer-by-layer fabrication of objects by extruding a filament comprising a [...] Read more.
The rapid advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies has provided new avenues for creating three-dimensional (3D) parts with intricate geometries. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a prominent technology in this domain, involving the layer-by-layer fabrication of objects by extruding a filament comprising a blend of polymer and metal powder. This study focuses on the FDM process using a filament of Copper–Polylactic Acid (Cu-PLA) composite, which capitalizes on the advantageous properties of copper (high electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance) combined with the easily processable thermoplastic PLA material. The research delves into the impact of FDM process parameters, specifically, infill percentage (IP), infill pattern (P), and layer thickness (LT) on the maximum failure load (N), percentage of elongation at break, and weight of Cu-PLA composite filament-based parts. The study employs the response surface method (RSM) with Design-Expert V11 software. The selected parameters include infill percentage at five levels (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%), fill patterns at five levels (Grid, Triangle, Tri-Hexagonal, Cubic-Subdivision, and Lines), and layer thickness at five levels (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 mm). Also, the optimal factor values were obtained. The findings highlight that layer thickness and infill percentage significantly influence the weight of the samples, with an observed increase as these parameters are raised. Additionally, an increase in layer thickness and infill percentage corresponds to a higher maximum failure load in the specimens. The peak maximum failure load (230 N) is achieved at a 0.5 mm layer thickness and Tri-Hexagonal pattern. As the infill percentage changes from 10% to 50%, the percentage of elongation at break decreases. The maximum percentage of elongation at break is attained with a 20% infill percentage, 0.2 mm layer thickness, and 0.5 Cubic-Subdivision pattern. Using a multi-objective response optimization, the layer thickness of 0.152 mm, an infill percentage of 32.909%, and a Grid infill pattern was found to be the best configuration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D/4D Printing of Multifunctional Composites with Multifunctional Applications)
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16 pages, 5096 KiB  
Article
Alignment Control of Ferrite-Decorated Nanocarbon Material for 3D Printing
by Narit Boonhaijaroen, Pitchaya Sitthi-amorn, Werayut Srituravanich, Kwanrat Suanpong, Sanong Ekgasit and Somchai Pengprecha
Micromachines 2024, 15(6), 763; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15060763 - 6 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1301
Abstract
This paper demonstrates the potential of anisotropic 3D printing for alignable carbon nanomaterials. The ferrite-decorated nanocarbon material was synthesized via a sodium solvation process using epichlorohydrin as the coupling agent. Employing a one-pot synthesis approach, the novel material was incorporated into a 3D [...] Read more.
This paper demonstrates the potential of anisotropic 3D printing for alignable carbon nanomaterials. The ferrite-decorated nanocarbon material was synthesized via a sodium solvation process using epichlorohydrin as the coupling agent. Employing a one-pot synthesis approach, the novel material was incorporated into a 3D photopolymer, manipulated, and printed using a low-cost microscale 3D printer, equipped with digital micromirror lithography, monitoring optics, and magnetic actuators. This technique highlights the ability to control the microstructure of 3D-printed objects with sub-micron precision for applications such as microelectrode sensors and microrobot fabrication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D/4D Printing of Multifunctional Composites with Multifunctional Applications)
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