The rise of polymer 3D printing

3D printing with polymers has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Polymers are increasingly being used as the raw material for 3D printing due to their versatility and comparatively lower costs. Some of the most commonly used polymers for 3D printing include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), nylon, and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS). These polymers offer benefits like ease of processing, strength, flexibility and biodegradability which expands the range of applications for 3D printed parts.

Expanding material options

While polymers like ABS and PLA dominated the early years of 3D printing, materials research is delivering new polymer choices to leverage additive manufacturing capabilities. Photopolymers cured with UV light have become popular for applications requiring precise and detailed prints. Thermosets like epoxy resins offer high heat resistance. Biocompatible polymers are enabling medical applications like implants. Self-healing polymers can restore damaged parts without human intervention. Conductive polymers incorporated with graphene or carbon nanotubes are finding usage in electronic and sensor applications. The ability to imbue new functionalities into polymers through additive of different types of fillers greatly expands the design freedom for engineers and product developers.

Tailoring material properties through composite design

Rather than developing new polymer chemistries from scratch, researchers are exploring composite approaches to finely tune material properties for specific needs. Fiber reinforced plastics created by combining polymers with continuous fibers have tremendous strength but add complexity to production. On the other hand, incorporating nanoparticles as fillers allows modifying properties like tensile strength, stiffness, toughness, conductivity without significantly impacting processability or print resolution. Phase change materials added to traditional thermoplastics enable multi-material printing and multi-functional parts. Biodegradable composites combining polylactic acid with natural fibers like cellulose or chitin have applications in single-use products. These polymer composite strategies demonstrate how additive manufacturing enables new material systems optimized for structural performance.

Driving innovation through open material development

Access to a broad material database is helping push the boundaries of what can be 3D printed. Open-source repositories like GitHub and material development ecosystems like those nurtured by Formlabs allow material formulations to be freely shared, tested and improved upon by a global community. As more novel materials enter the public domain, they inspire new ideas and applications challenging what was previously thought possible. Conferences focused on polymers for additive manufacturing facilitate cross-pollination of ideas between material scientists, process engineers and design professionals. Open innovation models will play a key role in overcoming technical hurdles to printing advanced multi-material parts and functional end-use components with optimised material combinations. They foster collaboration that can help expand the capabilities of polymers as a major pillar of the additive manufacturing industry.

The future of tailored polymeric systems

Going forward, tailored polymer formulations designed specifically for the nuances of different 3D printing processes will drive more dependable print outcomes. Continuous on-demand recycling systems may make advanced polymer use more sustainable and affordable. Multi-material bioprinting relying on cell-instructive biomaterials could transform medical product development. “4D printing” enabled by stimuli-responsive polymers may lead to self-assembling or shape-changing structures with new dynamic behaviors. As materials innovation evolves in tandem with technological capabilities, polymers will remain at the heart of additive manufacturing and enable new paradigms in design, manufacturing and application development. With collaborative research unlocking their full potential, 3D printed polymers for additive manufacturing parts could transform our daily lives in unforeseen ways.

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Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/money-singh-590844163)