Citation

Varma, Pralayakaveri Yogendra and Diksha, Saluja and Sonar, Vedang Avinash and Surange, Sarthak Baburao and Kabilan, Jeyakumar and Rajasekar, N. and Thien, Gregory Soon How and Chan, Kah-Yoong and Thamankar, Ramesh and Sivaramakrishna, Akella (2026) Polymer Materials for Additive Manufacturing: A Comprehensive Review of Selection, Processing, and Emerging Applications. Polymer-Plastics Technology and Materials, 65 (15). pp. 1609-1646. ISSN 2574-0881

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Abstract

The advancement of hybrid materials for 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM), translating computer-aided designs into physically complex objects, is one of the fastest-growing research areas in recent years. This is mainly envisioned to achieve enhanced optical, mechanical, magnetic, and electrical properties, including flexibility, stretchability, and shape-memory. In general, AM technologies utilize functional polymers, elastomers, thermoplastics, hydrogels, thermosets, polymer blends, composites, and biological systems of industrial significance. Various techniques have been employed in AM for the fabrication of objects, including powder bed fusion (SLS), photopolymerization (stereolithography), extrusion (FDM, 3D dispensing, 3D fiber deposition, and 3D plotting), sheet lamination (LOM), 3D bioprinting, and material and binder jetting (inkjet and aerosol 3D printing). The most significant aspects of 3D printing are the strategic selection of polymers, the nature of additives, and processing parameters to improve the accuracy, stability, surface finish, porosity, build rate, functionality, and mechanical properties. Despite the recent developments in 3D printing of polymeric materials, the serious limitations are the limited material availability for 3D printing, the suboptimal quality of manufactured products, and, still, there is a strong demand to develop printable polymer composites with improved performance. By modifying the properties of polymeric structures appropriately, these materials can be applied in architecture, lightweight engineering, optics, energy technology, dentistry, food processing, and personalized drug delivery. Also, the transition from rapid prototyping to rapid manufacturing is an apparent current challenge. There is a strong demand for the emphasis on the development of hybrid bio-based polymeric systems, with the synergy of bio-based polymers leading to improved properties, along with maintaining environmental appeal. We believe this review to be useful for the polymer scientists involved with additive manufacturing. This review article paves the way to understand the design of polymers and other important requirements for upcoming research directions.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Engineering (FOE)
Depositing User:	Ms Suzilawati Abu Samah
Date Deposited:	04 Sep 2026 04:33
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2026 04:34
URII:	http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/id/eprint/16715

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