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Sustainability
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3D Printing for Multifunctional Applications and Sustainability
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3D Printing for Multifunctional Applications and Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 467

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nida Naveed

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Business & Technology, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK
Interests: additive manufacturing; 3D printing; advanced manufacturing; material characterisation; material engineering
Dr. Jinoop Arackal Narayanan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, School of Computing Engineering and Digital Technologies, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK
Interests: additive manufacturing; material processing; materials engineering; surface engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Naveed Anwar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Computer and Information Sciences, University of Northumbria, Newcastle, UK
Interests: qualitative and quantitative data analysis; big data analysis; data mining; business intelligence; digital methods and machine learning
Dr. Mir Irfan Ul Haq

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Interests: additive manufacturing; tribology; coatings

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has revolutionized the way materials and products are designed, fabricated, and utilized across various industries. With its ability to enable complex geometries, customized designs, and optimized material usage, 3D printing offers immense potential for multifunctional applications while promoting sustainability. By integrating advanced materials and smart manufacturing techniques, researchers are continuously exploring ways to enhance performance, efficiency, and environmental impact reduction.

Aim and Scope

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for cutting-edge research and advancements in 3D printing technologies for multifunctional applications with an emphasis on sustainability. The scope aligns with the broader objectives of MDPI journals, focusing on innovations that contribute to eco-friendly, efficient, and high-performance manufacturing solutions. The issue invites contributions that investigate material advancements, process optimisations, and innovative applications leveraging the potential of multi-material 3D printing to achieve sustainable engineering solutions. We invite researchers and experts in the field to submit original research articles,  reviews and case-studies covering theoretical, experimental, and applied aspects of additive manufacturing for multifunctional and sustainable applications.

Suggested Themes and Article Types

In this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles, reviews, and case studies that address topics including but not limited to:

  • Sustainable 3D Printing Materials: Development and characterization of biodegradable, recyclable, and bio-based polymers and composites.
  • Hybrid and Multi-material Printing: Combining multiple materials to enhance mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties.
  • Energy-efficient Additive Manufacturing: Innovations in process optimization to reduce energy consumption.
  • Multifunctional 3D-printed Structures: Integration of properties such as self-healing, electrical conductivity, and mechanical adaptability.
  • Waste Reduction and Recycling in 3D Printing: Strategies for reducing material waste and promoting circular economy principles.
  • Application in Various Sectors: Advances in healthcare, aerospace, automotive, construction, and consumer products utilizing 3D printing for sustainable solutions.
  • Computational and AI-driven Design Optimization: Utilizing AI, machine learning, and computational modeling to enhance efficiency and sustainability in 3D printing.
  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in Additive Manufacturing: Evaluating the environmental impact of 3D printing technologies.
  • Challenges and Future Perspectives: Addressing limitations, technological gaps, and future research directions in sustainable 3D printing.

We look forward to your valuable contributions and encourage researchers to submit their latest findings to this Special Issue. Together, we can advance the field of 3D printing for multifunctional and sustainable applications and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Dr. Nida Naveed
Dr. Jinoop Arackal Narayanan
Dr. Naveed Anwar
Dr. Mir Irfan Ul Haq
Guest Editors

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. Sustainability 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 2400 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—3D printing
  • multi-material 3D printing
  • sustainable materials
  • smart manufacturing
  • multifunctional applications
  • green manufacturing
  • circular economy
  • advanced composites
  • energy-efficient manufacturing
  • biodegradable polymers

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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25 pages, 5796 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Sustainability and Functionality with Recycled Materials in Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing
by Nida Naveed, Muhammad Naveed Anwar, Mark Armstrong, Furqan Ahmad, Mir Irfan Ul Haq and Glenn Ridley
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 6105; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136105 - 3 Jul 2025
Viewed by 244
Abstract
This study presents a novel multi-material additive manufacturing (MMAM) strategy by combining virgin polylactic acid (vPLA) with recycled polylactic acid (rPLA) in a layered configuration to improve both performance and sustainability. Specimens were produced using fused deposition modelling (FDM) with various vPLA: rPLA [...] Read more.
This study presents a novel multi-material additive manufacturing (MMAM) strategy by combining virgin polylactic acid (vPLA) with recycled polylactic acid (rPLA) in a layered configuration to improve both performance and sustainability. Specimens were produced using fused deposition modelling (FDM) with various vPLA: rPLA ratios (33:67, 50:50, and 67:33) and two distinct layering approaches: one with vPLA forming the external layers and rPLA as the core, and a second using the reversed arrangement. Mechanical testing revealed that when vPLA is used as the exterior, printed components exhibit tensile strength and elongation improvements of 10–25% over conventional single-material prints, while the tensile modulus is largely influenced by the distribution of the two materials. Thermal analysis shows that both vPLA and rPLA begin to degrade at approximately 330 °C; however, rPLA demonstrates a higher end-of-degradation temperature (461.7 °C) and increased residue at elevated temperatures, suggesting improved thermal stability due to enhanced crystallinity. Full-field strain mapping, corroborated by digital microscopy (DM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealed that vPLA-rich regions display more uniform interlayer adhesion with minimal voids or microcracks, whereas rPLA-dominated areas exhibit greater porosity and a higher propensity for brittle failure. These findings highlight the role of optimal material placement in mitigating the inherent deficiencies of recycled polymers. The integrated approach of combining microstructural assessments with full-field strain mapping provides a comprehensive view of interlayer bonding and underlying failure mechanisms. Statistical analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed that both layer placement and material ratio have a significant influence on performance, with high effect sizes highlighting the sensitivity of mechanical properties to these parameters. In addition to demonstrating improvements in mechanical and thermal properties, this work addresses a significant gap in the literature by evaluating the combined effect of vPLA and rPLA in a multi-material configuration. The results emphasise that strategic material distribution can effectively counteract some of the limitations typically associated with recycled polymers, while also contributing to reduced dependence on virgin materials. These outcomes support broader sustainability objectives by enhancing energy efficiency and promoting a circular economy within additive manufacturing (AM). Overall, the study establishes a robust foundation for industrial-scale implementations, paving the way for future innovations in eco-efficient FDM processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing for Multifunctional Applications and Sustainability)
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