Review of high-performance sustainable polymers in additive manufacturing

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

This review evaluates the current state of sustainable polymers in additive manufacturing with a focus on higher performance capabilities.

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly referred to as 3D printing, is viewed as a method of rapid prototyping and an alternative to traditional manufacturing. Recently, there has been increasing interest on sustainability of AM approaches and the materials that can be used. Advances in both AM technologies and polymer chemistry present multiple pathways for AM to become more sustainable, such as raw material sourcing, green synthesis, and end-of-life processing. This review provides a brief overview of AM techniques for polymers, sustainable sourcing of polymers in AM, and the advances of degradable/recyclable polymers in AM. It also provides a perspective of the potential role of AM in economic and chemical circularity, as well as opportunities for digital manufacturing for the future. Biodegradable materials for medical or other biological applications are beyond the scope of this review.

Related collections

Most cited references 107

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

3D bioprinting of tissues and organs.

Sean Murphy, Anthony Atala (2014)

Additive manufacturing, otherwise known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is driving major innovations in many areas, such as engineering, manufacturing, art, education and medicine. Recent advances have enabled 3D printing of biocompatible materials, cells and supporting components into complex 3D functional living tissues. 3D bioprinting is being applied to regenerative medicine to address the need for tissues and organs suitable for transplantation. Compared with non-biological printing, 3D bioprinting involves additional complexities, such as the choice of materials, cell types, growth and differentiation factors, and technical challenges related to the sensitivities of living cells and the construction of tissues. Addressing these complexities requires the integration of technologies from the fields of engineering, biomaterials science, cell biology, physics and medicine. 3D bioprinting has already been used for the generation and transplantation of several tissues, including multilayered skin, bone, vascular grafts, tracheal splints, heart tissue and cartilaginous structures. Other applications include developing high-throughput 3D-bioprinted tissue models for research, drug discovery and toxicology.