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Polymers
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Progress in 3D Printing of Polymeric Materials
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Progress in 3D Printing of Polymeric Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 December 2025 | Viewed by 3569

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Doina Dimonie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: polymers; polymer modifications; polymeric compounds; polymeric composites; polymeric nanocomposites; 3D printing; designed functional properties for target applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Additive Manufacturing is a rapid fabrication technology utilizing layer-by-layer material deposition that presents numerous advantages over the traditional manufacturing processes, such as possibility to achieve complex parts in fewer process steps, great flexibility of the working procedure, low material waste, etc. Currently, the potential of three-dimensional (3D) and recently of four-dimensional (4D) printing technology in the fabrication of advanced polymeric compounds is increasing.

The Special Issue will cover the complex theme of the current and prospective advances related to the following topics:

  • New polymers (e.g., piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) polymer, etc.) and compounds with improve mechanical properties for prototyping and other applications.
  • Advances in 3D/4D printing for polymer composites; thermoplastic composites with various primary reinforcements such as carbon nanotubes, graphene carbon fibers, etc.
  • Polymeric nanocomposites with improved thermal, mechanical, and electrical performances. The influence of nanofillers, nanoplatelets, nano clay, etc. on mechanical properties of the build object. Distribution of the functional fillers and the influence of the topological shapes on the properties and functional characteristics of the 3D printed products.
  • Smart (e.g., shape memory, self-healing, and environmental responsiveness) polymers/compounds/composites/nanocomposites for 4D printing.
  • New printing filaments, printing inks, photosensitive resins, and printing powders.
  • The optimization of 3D/4D printing technology; the post-processing treatments; process simulation for defect minimization; upgrading the equipment or adjusting the printing parameters to make them more adaptable to the processing characteristics of new polymeric materials.
  • Standardization of tests for characterizations of fabricated samples; new approaches to functional regulation; industry standards of printing, and the types of filaments that can be used.
  • The application areas of 3D/4D printing: biomedicine, construction, automotive, aerospace, acoustics, textiles, and occupational therapy amongst others.

Dr. Doina Dimonie
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

  • 3D printing
  • 4D printing
  • additive manufacturing

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 3974 KB  
Article
Formulation and Structural Optimisation of PVA-Fibre Biopolymer Composites for 3D Printing in Drug Delivery Applications
by Pattaraporn Panraksa, Pensak Jantrawut, Xin Yi Teoh, Krit Sengtakdaed, Ploynapat Pornngam, Tanpong Chaiwarit, Takron Chantadee, Kittisak Jantanasakulwong, Suruk Udomsom and Bin Zhang
Polymers 2025, 17(18), 2502; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182502 - 16 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1340
Abstract
Additive manufacturing using fused deposition modelling (FDM) is increasingly explored for personalised drug delivery, but the lack of suitable biodegradable and printable filaments limits its pharmaceutical application. In this study, we investigated the influence of formulation and structural design on the performance of [...] Read more.
Additive manufacturing using fused deposition modelling (FDM) is increasingly explored for personalised drug delivery, but the lack of suitable biodegradable and printable filaments limits its pharmaceutical application. In this study, we investigated the influence of formulation and structural design on the performance of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based filaments doped with theophylline anhydrous for 3D printing. To address the intrinsic brittleness and poor printability of PVA, cassava pulp-derived fibres—a sustainable and underutilised agricultural by-product—were incorporated together with polyethylene glycol (PEG 400), Eudragit® NE 30 D, and calcium stearate. The addition of fibres modified the mechanical properties of PVA filaments through hydrogen bonding, improving flexibility but increasing surface roughness. This drawback was mitigated by Eudragit® NE 30 D, which enhanced surface smoothness and drug distribution uniformity. The optimised composite formulation (P10F5E5T5) was successfully extruded and used to fabricate 3D-printed constructs. Release studies demonstrated that drug release could be modulated by pore geometry and construct thickness: wider pores enabled rapid Fickian diffusion, while narrower pores and thicker constructs shifted release kinetics toward anomalous transport governed by polymer swelling. These findings demonstrate, for the first time, the potential of cassava fibre as a functional additive in pharmaceutical FDM and provide a rational formulation–structure–performance framework for developing sustainable, geometry-tuneable drug delivery systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in 3D Printing of Polymeric Materials)
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17 pages, 4328 KB  
Article
New 3D Ink Formulation Comprising a Nanocellulose Aerogel Based on Electrostatic Repulsion and Sol-Gel Transition
by Qing Yang, Haiyang Yu, Xiaolu Wang, Yunze Li, Dan Li and Fu Guo
Polymers 2025, 17(8), 1065; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17081065 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 968
Abstract
New 3D printing aerogel materials are environmentally friendly and could be used in environmental protection and biomedical fields. There is significant research interest in 3D printing cellulose-based aerogels since cellulose materials are biocompatible and are abundant in nature. The gel-like nature of the [...] Read more.
New 3D printing aerogel materials are environmentally friendly and could be used in environmental protection and biomedical fields. There is significant research interest in 3D printing cellulose-based aerogels since cellulose materials are biocompatible and are abundant in nature. The gel-like nature of the cellulose water suspension is suitable for 3D printing; however, the complexity and resolution of the geometry of aerogels are quite limited, mainly due to the inks’ low viscosity that fails to maintain the integrity of the shape after printing. To address this limitation, a carefully optimized formulation incorporating three key ingredients, i.e., nanofibrils (TEMPO-CNFs), 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy modified cellulose nanocrystals (TEMPO-CNC), and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), is utilized to enhance the viscosity and structural stability of the ink. This combination of cellulose derivatives utilizes the electrostatic repulsive forces between the negatively charged components to form a stable and uniformly distributed suspension of cellulose materials. Our ink formulations improve printability and shape retention during 3D printing and are optimal for DIW printing. We print by employing an all cellulose-based composite ink using a modified direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing method, plus an in situ freezing stage to form a layer-by-layer structure, and then follow a freeze-drying process to obtain the well-aligned aerogels. We have investigated the rheological properties of the ink formulation by varying the concentration of these three cellulose materials. The obtained aerogels exhibit highly ordered microstructures in which the micropores are well-aligned along the freezing direction. This study demonstrates a strategy for overcoming the challenges of 3D printing cellulose-based aerogels by formulating a stable composite ink, optimizing its rheological properties, and employing a modified DIW printing process with in situ freezing, resulting in highly ordered, structurally robust aerogels with aligned microporous architectures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in 3D Printing of Polymeric Materials)
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23 pages, 5179 KB  
Article
Polymorphism and Mechanical Behavior in Hot-Pressed 3D-Printed Polyamide Composite: Effects of Pressure and Temperature
by John Barber, Patricia Revolinsky, Jimesh Bhagatji, Diego Pedrazzoli, Sergii Kravchenko and Oleksandr Kravchenko
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070922 - 28 Mar 2025
Viewed by 757
Abstract
The aim of this work is to study the effect of high-temperature compaction (HTC) upon the polymorphism and the mechanical behavior of an additively manufactured (AM) carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide (PA6). Different pressure and temperature levels during HTC were tested to determine the overall [...] Read more.
The aim of this work is to study the effect of high-temperature compaction (HTC) upon the polymorphism and the mechanical behavior of an additively manufactured (AM) carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide (PA6). Different pressure and temperature levels during HTC were tested to determine the overall effect on the mechanical behavior and material crystalline composition. Treated, carbon fiber-reinforced PA6 samples were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and three-point bending testing. When considered with respect to as-printed samples, an HTC temperature of 190 °C combined with 80 psi pressure resulted in an increased flexural modulus and strength of 47% and 58%, respectively. This increase was attributed to the decrease in AM-induced cracking, voids (both inside and between the beads), and crystalline solid-state transition in the PA6. The effect of pressure and temperature on the crystalline structure was discussed in terms of an increased degree of crystallinity and the amount of α-phase. Therefore, HTC can help overcome some limitations of traditional annealing, which can result in recrystallization-induced cracking which can lead to material embrittlement. The proposed HTC method demonstrates the potential in improving the mechanical behavior of AM thermoplastic composites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress in 3D Printing of Polymeric Materials)
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