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Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Materials and Lightweight Structures

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2025 | Viewed by 8001

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lei Yang

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Guest Editor

School of Transportation and Logistics Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: additive manufacturing; continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced composites; lightweight design; porous structures; fatigue
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The demand for lightweight materials in the fields of transportation, biomedicine, aerospace, etc., is fueling the rapid development of the manufacturing technologies of polymers, continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced composites, as well as lightweight structures such as honeycomb.

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology uses the gradual accumulation of materials to manufacture physical parts, which is a “bottom-up” manufacturing method. Due to the “dimensionality reduction manufacturing” in the slicing process, the technology overcomes many of the limitations of traditional processing methods. In recent years, the use of additive technology to prepare polymer-based materials and lightweight structures has been accepted by the industry.

This Special Issue will report the most recent progress made in various aspects of additively manufactured polymer-based materials and lightweight structures, such as innovative design principles and methods of lightweight structures, new AM processes for polymer-based materials, functional structures realized by polymer-based materials, as well as lightweight structures. The aim of this Special Issue is to collate the recent findings of the research community into a common forum to identify key challenges and opportunities, share state-of-the-art research, and promote advancements in research related to additively manufactured polymer-based materials and lightweight structures. Both original research and review works are welcome to be submitted to this Special Issue.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Emerging and innovative AM technologies for polymer-based materials and lightweight structures;
Design and optimization of novel polymer-based materials and lightweight structures for AM;
Microstructure and properties characterization of additively manufactured lightweight materials and structures;
Simulation analysis on the additive manufacturing process and performances of polymer-based materials and lightweight structures;
Application research of additive manufacturing lightweight materials, including continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced composites, polymers, etc.;
Application research into additive manufacturing lightweight structures, including biomimetic structures, biological structures, metastructures, etc.;
Four-dimensional printing of lightweight materials and structures to achieve controlled changes in shape, performance, and function.

Dr. Lei Yang
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. Polymers 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 2700 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
lightweight structures
polymers
continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced composites
functional design

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 8040 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tailorable Energy Absorption During Quasi-Static Crush via Additively Manufactured Honeycomb

by Colleen M. Murray, Grace N. Johnson, Min Mao and Norman M. Wereley

Polymers 2025, 17(8), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17081050 - 12 Apr 2025

Viewed by 257

Abstract

Honeycomb materials are being used for energy absorption applications in aerospace and automotive industries due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. In this work, additively manufactured honeycombs with different inscribed diameters were tested in quasi-static compression on a servo-hydraulic material test system to determine how the geometry affects the energy absorption properties. Samples were made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene in order to study the performance of brittle honeycomb structures in energy absorption applications. Samples were manufactured with buckling initiators, or small triangle cutouts, located at varying distances from the bottom of the sample, while others had no modifications. These buckling initiators create preferential stress concentrations, thus encouraging a controlled folding of the structure. As this study shows, the crush efficiency and energy absorbed efficiency increase as the inscribed diameter decreases. When the inscribed diameter is 20 mm, the crush efficiency is 20.29%, while it is three times larger when the inscribed diameter decreases to 10 mm (62%). The energy absorbed efficiency is 45% for the 10 mm sample while it decreases to 16.70% when the diameter is 20 mm (a 36% decrease). Similarly, the presence of buckling initiators increases crush efficiency and energy absorbed efficiency when compared to samples of similar geometry but no buckling initiators, regardless of the size of the honeycomb. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Materials and Lightweight Structures)

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19 pages, 8425 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Printing Paths on Compressive Strength of 3D-Printed Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Composite Lattice Unit Cell

by Min-Hyeok Jeon, Geun Sik Shin, Jun Yeon Hwang, Thuan Ho-Nguyen-Tan, Minkook Kim and Soon Ho Yoon

Polymers 2025, 17(7), 850; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070850 - 22 Mar 2025

Viewed by 322

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing is a highly promising manufacturing technology that enables easy production of complex shapes. Composite lattice structures are highly efficient, having the advantages of fiber-reinforced composites and the excellent structural performance of lattice configurations. Highly efficient structures can be developed by combining the benefits of 3D printing and composite lattice structures. This study examined the effect of printing path and axial angle in joint areas on the compressive strength of composite lattice unit cells fabricated via continuous fiber 3D printing. Compression tests were conducted to analyze deformation, failure modes, and causes of failure. A finite element model was used to analyze buckling behavior and establish design criteria. Results showed that the printing path significantly influenced failure mode and strength, while a fabrication method without a defect at the joint was important for improving structural performance. Finally, design criteria, in terms of the knockdown factor and in-plane bifurcation buckling behavior, were developed based on experimental and numerical results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Materials and Lightweight Structures)

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21 pages, 6691 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Lightweight Structures Through Brachistochrone-Inspired Lattice Design

by Parisa Majari, Daniel Olvera-Trejo, Jorge A. Estrada-Díaz, Alex Elías-Zúñiga, Oscar Martinez-Romero, Claudia A. Ramírez-Herrera and Imperio Anel Perales-Martínez

Polymers 2025, 17(5), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17050654 - 28 Feb 2025

Viewed by 569

Abstract

Lattice structures offer unique mechanical properties and versatility in engineering applications, yet existing designs often struggle to balance performance and material efficiency. This study introduces the brachistochrone curve as a novel framework for optimizing lattice geometries, enhancing mechanical behavior while minimizing material usage. Using finite element simulations and compressive testing of 3D-printed samples, we analyzed the mechanical response of brachistochrone-based (B-) and standard lattice structures (diamond, IWP, gyroid, and BCC). We investigated the scaling behavior of the volume-to-surface area ratio, incorporated fractal dimension analysis, and compared experimental and numerical results to evaluate the performance of B-lattices versus standard designs (S-). Our findings indicate that brachistochrone-inspired lattices enhance mechanical efficiency, enabling the design of lightweight, high-strength components with sustainable material use. Experimental results suggest that B-gyroid lattices exhibit lower stiffness than S-gyroid lattices under small displacements, highlighting their potential for energy absorption applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Materials and Lightweight Structures)

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16 pages, 4239 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation on the Mechanical and Dynamic Thermomechanical Properties of Polyether Ether Ketone Based on Fused Deposition Modeling

by Guocheng Liu, Ning Hu, Junjie Huang, Qiyong Tu and Fengxiang Xu

Polymers 2024, 16(21), 3007; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16213007 - 26 Oct 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1390

Abstract

In this work, the mechanical and dynamic thermomechanical properties of PEEK based on FDM are experimentally investigated and evaluated comprehensively. The tensile failure mechanism of PEEK prepared by FDM and extrusion modeling (EM) was analyzed by fracture morphology observation. By conducting a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test, the crystallinity of PEEK prepared by FDM and EM was measured. The dynamic thermomechanical properties of PEEK were tested and analyzed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). For FDM-prepared PEEK samples, the yield strength and elongation were 98.3 ± 0.49 MPa and 22.86 ± 2.12%, respectively. Compared with the yield strength of PEEK prepared by EM, the yield strength of PEEK prepared by FDM increased by 65.38%. The crystallinity of FDM-prepared and EM-prepared samples was calculated as 34.81% and 31.55%, respectively. Different processing methods resulted in differences in the microscopic morphology and crystallinity of two types of PEEK parts, leading to differences in mechanical properties. The internal micropores generated during the FDM processing of PEEK significantly reduced the elongation. Moreover, according to the DMA results, the glass transition activation energy of PEEK was obtained as ΔE = 685.07 kJ/mol based on the Arrhenius equation. Due to the excellent mechanical properties of PEEK prepared by FDM processing, it is promising for high-performance polymer applications in different fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Materials and Lightweight Structures)

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15 pages, 5782 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Frictional Wear Behavior of Water-Lubrication Resin Matrix Composites under Low Speed and Heavy Load Conditions

by Wu Ouyang, Feipeng Pan, Lei Wang and Ruicong Zheng

Polymers 2024, 16(19), 2753; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192753 - 29 Sep 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1259

Abstract

Resin matrix composites are commonly utilized in water-lubricated stern tube bearings for warship propulsion systems. Low-speed and high-load conditions are significant factors influencing the tribological properties of stern tube bearings. The wear characteristics of resin-based laminated composites (RLCs), resin-based winding composites (RWCs), and resin-based homogeneous polymer (RHP) blocks were investigated under simulated environmental conditions using a ring-on-block wear tester. Simulated seawater was prepared by combining sodium chloride with distilled water. The wetting angle, coefficient of friction (COF), and mass loss were measured and compared. Additionally, their surface morphologies were examined. The results indicate a significant increase in the COFs for the three materials with an increased speed or load under dry conditions. The COF of the RLCs is the lowest, indicating that it has superior self-lubricating properties. In wet conditions, the COFs of the three materials decrease with an increasing speed or load, exhibiting a pronounced hydrodynamic effect. The COF and mass loss of RWCs are the highest, while RLCs and RHP exhibit lower COFs and mass loss values. The reticulated texture and flocculent fibers on the surface of RLC enhance the heat diffusion and improve the material wettability and water storage capacity. The surface of RWC is dense, and the friction area under dry conditions is melted and brightened. The surface of RHP is smooth, while the worn material forms an agglomerate and exhibits susceptibility to burning and blackening under dry conditions. The laminated formation method demonstrates superior tribological performance throughout the wear evolution process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Materials and Lightweight Structures)

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18 pages, 23576 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Properties and Economic Analysis of Fused Filament Fabrication Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites

by Damira Dairabayeva, Ulanbek Auyeskhan and Didier Talamona

Polymers 2024, 16(18), 2656; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16182656 - 20 Sep 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1724

Abstract

Additive manufacturing of composites offers advantages over metals since composites are lightweight, fatigue and corrosion-resistant, and show high strength and stiffness. This work investigates the tensile and flexural performance of continuous carbon-fiber reinforced (CCF) composites with different guide angles and number of layers. The cost and printing time analyses were also conducted. Tensile specimens with a contour-only specimen and one CCF layer with a 0° guide angle exhibited nearly comparable strength values. Increasing the number of CCF layers enhances the tensile properties. For the identical cost and reinforcement amount, 0°/0° provides a higher tensile strength and elastic modulus compared with 15°/−15°. The same phenomenon was observed for 15°/0°/−15° and 0°/0°/0°. The samples with one and two reinforcement layers had similar stiffness and maximum load values for flexural tests. For the samples with four layers, there was a considerable improvement in stiffness but a minor decrease in the maximum load. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Materials and Lightweight Structures)

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16 pages, 9884 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In-Plane Compression Properties of Continuous Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composite Hybrid Lattice Structures by Additive Manufacturing

by Lingqi Jin, Jun Shi, Zhixin Chen, Zhiyang Wang, Yangfan Zhi, Lei Yang and Xinyi Xiao

Polymers 2024, 16(13), 1882; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16131882 - 1 Jul 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1820

Abstract

Continuous-fiber-reinforced composite lattice structures (CFRCLSs) have garnered attention due to their lightweight and high-strength characteristics. Over the past two decades, many different topological structures including triangular, square, hexagonal, and circular units were investigated, and the basic mechanical responses of honeycomb structures under various load conditions, including tension, compression, buckling, shear, and fatigue were studied. To further improve the performance of the honeycombs, appropriate optimizations were also carried out. However, the mechanical properties of a single lattice often struggle to exceed the upper limit of its structure. This paper investigates the effect of permutation and hybrid mode on the mechanical properties of CFRCLSs by comparing five structures: rhomboid (R-type), octagon orthogonal array (OOA-type), octagon hypotenuse array (OHA-type), octagon nested array (ONA-type), and rhomboid circle (RC-type), with the conventional hexagonal structure (H-type). CFRCLS samples are fabricated using fused filament fabrication (FFF), with carbon-fiber-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) as the matrix. The in-plane compression properties, energy absorption characteristics, and deformation behaviors of the hybrid structures were studied by experimental tests. The results demonstrate that different permutation and hybrid modes alter the deformation behaviors and mechanical properties of the structures. Taking elastic modulus as an example, the values of H-type, R-type, OOA-type, OHA-type, ONA-type, and RC-type are, respectively, 6.08 MPa, 5.76 MPa, 19.0 MPa, 10.3 MPa, 31.7 MPa, and 73.2 MPa, while the ratio of their masses is 1:1:1.10:1.52:1.66. Furthermore, hybrid lattice structures exhibit significantly improved mechanical properties compared to single lattice structures. Compared to the single structure R-type, the RC-type increases elastic modulus, yield strength, and energy absorption, respectively, by 12.7 times, 5.4 times, and 4.4 times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Materials and Lightweight Structures)

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