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3D Printing of Polymer Composite Materials—Advances in Materials and Processes

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 1543

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Fazeel Khan

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA
Interests: 3D printing; additive manufacturing; polymer processing; biocompatible polymers; computational modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Additive manufacturing technologies for polymeric materials are continuing to evolve at a rapid rate and can be credited with new product functionality, improved performance, reduced cost, and higher levels of sustainability. It can also be said that new additive methods have democratized manufacturing and bolstered generative design processes by enabling the table-top manufacturing of specialized components by companies of any size. A collective examination of the state of the art can, therefore, be extremely beneficial in tracking advances in additive manufacturing across a myriad of industries.

This Special Issue will assemble studies focusing on experimental and computational research pertaining to the 3D printing of polymeric materials. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Material development including composites and 4D printing using shape memory polymers;
Process optimization in filament, liquid, and powder-based techniques;
The design of target properties;
Processing–property effects;
Creation of functionally graded materials;
Machine learning;
Novel post-processing methods;

In recognition of your contributions to these fields, I would like to invite you to support this Special Issue by submitting a paper. This Special Issue will serve the scientific and industrial communities by presenting up-to-date research in an area of vital scientific, industrial, and environmental importance.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Fazeel Khan
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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
additive manufacturing
polymer processing
biocompatible polymers
computational modeling
shape memory polymers

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 5287 KB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Characterization of Biodegradable Polymer Filaments for Additive Manufacturing

by Tomáš Balint, Jozef Živčák, Radovan Hudák, Marek Schnitzer, Miroslav Kohan, Maria Danko, Richard Staško, Peter Szedlák, Marek Jałbrzykowski, Katarzyna Leszczyńska, Pavol Alexy, Ivana Bírová, Zuzana Vanovčanová and Martina Culenová

Polymers 2025, 17(24), 3328; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17243328 - 17 Dec 2025

Abstract

In this study, the authors focus on optimizing the processing parameters for the fabrication of biodegradable polymer filaments intended for subsequent 3D printing of biomedical structures and implants. Following extrusion and additive manufacturing, the produced materials underwent a comprehensive evaluation that included mechanical, microbiological, biofilm formation, and electron microscopy analyses. The complexity of these tests aimed to determine the potential of the developed materials for biomedical applications, particularly in the field of scaffold fabrication. At the initial stage, three types of filaments (technical designations 111, 145, and 146) were produced using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology. These filaments were based on a PLA/PHB matrix with varying types and concentrations of plasticizers. Standardized destructive tensile and compressive mechanical tests were conducted using an MTS Insight 1 kN testing system equipped with an Instron 2620-601 extensometer. Among the tested samples, the filament labeled 111, composed of PLA/PHB thermoplastic starch and a plasticizer, exhibited the most favorable mechanical performance, with a Young’s modulus of elasticity of 4.63 MPa for 100% infill. The filament labeled 146 had a Young’s modulus of elasticity of 4.53 MPa for 100% infill and the material labeled 145 had a Young’s modulus of elasticity of 1.45 MPa for 100% infill. Microbiological assessments were performed to evaluate the capacity of bacteria and fungi to colonize the material surfaces. During bacterial activity assessment, we observed biofilm formation on the examined sample surfaces of each material from the smooth and rough sides. The colony-forming units (CFUs) increased directly with the exposure time. For all samples from each material, the Log10 (CFU) value reached above 9.41 during 72 h of incubation for the activity of each type of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans). Scanning electron microscopy provided insight into the surface quality of the material and revealed its local quality and purity. Surface defects were eliminated by this method. Overall, the results indicate that the designed biodegradable filaments, especially formulation 111, have promising properties for the development of scaffolds intended for hard tissue replacement and could also be suitable for regenerative applications in the future after achieving the desired biological properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composite Materials—Advances in Materials and Processes)

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17 pages, 42728 KB

Open AccessArticle

Metamortar Composites Reinforced with Re-Entrant Auxetic Cells: Mechanical Performance and Enhanced Energy Absorption

by Jorge Fernández, César Garrido, Luis Muñoz, Felipe Nuñez, Rodrigo Valle and Víctor Tuninetti

Polymers 2025, 17(23), 3153; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17233153 - 27 Nov 2025

Viewed by 484

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanical behavior and energy absorption capacity of a novel metamortar composite, developed by embedding re-entrant auxetic cellular structures into a cementitious mortar matrix. Auxetic materials, which exhibit a negative Poisson’s ratio, offer distinct advantages in impact resistance and stress dissipation. Despite their promising properties, their integration into cement-based systems remains limited. In this work, auxetic cells were fabricated using different 3D printing filaments and combined with mortar to form hybrid composites. The specimens were subjected to quasi-static compression tests to evaluate their Young’s modulus, yield strength, and energy absorption capacity. Results indicate that the auxetic inclusions substantially improved the mechanical performance of the mortar, particularly in the case of PLA-based cells, which achieved the highest values across all tested parameters. The enhancements are attributed to the synergistic deformation mechanisms of the auxetic geometry and the surrounding matrix, promoting efficient load distribution and delayed crack propagation. These findings contribute to the advancement of cementitious metamaterials and establish a foundation for scaling toward metaconcrete systems with improved energy dissipation for use in protective, seismic, and infrastructure applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composite Materials—Advances in Materials and Processes)

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25 pages, 7480 KB

Open AccessArticle

Structure—Property—Performance Relationships in Thermoplastic Polyurethane: Influence of Infill Density and Surface Texture

by Patricia Isabela Brăileanu, Marius-Teodor Mocanu, Tiberiu Gabriel Dobrescu, Dan Dobrotă and Nicoleta Elisabeta Pascu

Polymers 2025, 17(19), 2716; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17192716 - 9 Oct 2025

Viewed by 812

Abstract

This study investigates the structure–property–performance (SPP) relationships of two thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs), FILAFLEX FOAMY 70A and SMARTFIL^® FLEX 98A, manufactured by fused filament fabrication (FFF). Disc specimens were produced with varying gyroid infill densities (10–100%) and Archimedean surface textures, and their tribological and surface characteristics were analyzed through Ball-on-Disc tests, profilometry, and optical microscopy. SMARTFIL^® FLEX 98A exhibited a sharp reduction in the coefficient of friction (μ) with increasing infill, from 1.174 at 10% to 0.371 at 100%, linked to improved structural stability at higher densities. In contrast, FILAFLEX FOAMY 70A maintained a stable but generally higher coefficient of friction (0.585–0.729) across densities, reflecting its foamed microstructure and bulk yielding behavior. Surface analysis revealed significantly higher roughness in SMARTFIL^® FLEX 98A, while FILAFLEX FOAMY 70A showed consistent roughness across infill levels. Both TPUs resisted inducing abrasive wear on the steel counterpart, but their stress-accommodation mechanisms diverged. These findings highlight distinct application profiles: SMARTFIL^® FLEX 98A for energy-absorbing, deformable components, and FILAFLEX FOAMY 70A for applications requiring stable surface finish and low adhesive wear. The results advance the design of functionally graded TPU materials through the controlled tuning of infill and surface features. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing of Polymer Composite Materials—Advances in Materials and Processes)

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