Recent developments, difficulties, and prospects for biodegradable 3D-printed polymer composites

Abstract

The creation of 3D-printed biocompatible composite polymers has become a significant field of research in additive manufacturing during the fourth industrial revolution because of its promise for high-performance and sustainable material development. Polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL) and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) are biocompatible polymers that have specific mechanical, thermal, and degradation properties, which have made them highly applicable in medical, industrial, aerospace, defence, and social applications. Addition of natural fibres and bio-based additives also strengthens their mechanical, tribological and microstructural properties and thus high-performance composite materials are produced. This paper provides an in-depth discussion of the process-structure-property relationships, focusing on how the most relevant 3D printing parameters influence the end performance of the printed parts, as well as the issues of hydrophilicity, processing constraints, and degradation behaviour in terms of advanced polymer-based additive manufacturing methods. In the future, it is anticipated that the use of biodegradable polymer composites in additive manufacturing will increase due to ongoing advancements in material development, process optimization, and intelligent manufacturing.